Time blocking planner (+ 9 free time block templates)
Last updated on: May 23, 2023
Maintaining a perfectly planned day can take a while. Despite how much you try to make the most of your time at work, a lot of issues may arise that throw off your schedule.
As a result, you may miss deadlines and suffer a drop in confidence and motivation.
Luckily, this is where time blocking and the right time blocking planner come in handy.
By blocking your schedule with a planner or time blocking app, you’ll be able to identify and pursue your goals. It will also teach you to leave enough time for your priorities and stop wasting time on trivial tasks.
That’s why we’ve created 9 time blocking planner templates you can download in PDF and print out or easily fill out in Excel:
- Daily Block Schedule Templates,
- Weekly Block Schedule Templates, and
- Monthly Block Schedule Templates.
On top of all that, we’ve also included steps on how to time block with a time blocking planner app to help you make the most of your daily schedule.
Table of Contents
Daily Block Schedule Templates
Daily schedule templates are the most common type of time blocking sheets.
You have each work day divided into specific time blocks you can then fill out with your tasks.
As deciding what your priorities are is crucial for helping you decide what to block time for first, each of the listed templates also comes with a to-do list and a section for adding notes and comments.
💡 Clockify Pro Tip
Crafting a perfect to-do list may sound far-fetched if you still haven’t stumbled across the method that works for you. Find out more about different to-do list methods and pick your favorite:
So, if you prefer planning your schedule day in and day out, take a look at the following daily schedule templates and pick your favorite.
Daily schedule template #1: 15-Minute Daily Time Blocking Planner
If you’re used to working in shorter intervals, or your schedule includes many different tasks, then the 15-minute Daily Time Blocking Planner template could be just the solution for your schedule.
What is the 15-Minute Daily Time Blocking Planner?
The 15-Minute Daily Time Blocking Planner is a daily planner template broken down into 15-minute intervals.
How to use the 15-Minute Daily Time Blocking Planner?
After downloading your preferred template format, simply define the month and day, and add the tasks you will work on in the 15-minute intervals.
You can use your to-do list to help you decide which tasks to time block.
Who should use the 15-Minute Daily Time Blocking Planner?
The 15-Minute Daily Time Blocking Planner is best for people with hectic schedules who are busy from the moment they arrive at work to the moment they come home. This is a perfect time blocking sheet for those with a large number of smaller daily tasks.
⬇️ Download PDF of 15-Minute Daily Planner
⬇️ Download Printer-Friendly PDF of 15-Minute Daily Planner
⬇️ Download 15-Minute Daily Planner XLSX
Daily schedule template #2: 30-Minute Daily Time Blocking Planner
If you’re looking for a simple way to schedule your day in blocks of 30 minutes, then the 30-Minute Daily Time Blocking Planner template could be the perfect choice for you.
What is the 30-Minute Daily Time Blocking Planner?
The 30-Minute Daily Time Blocking Planner is a daily planner template broken down into 30-minute intervals.
How to use the 30-Minute Daily Time Blocking Planner?
After selecting your preferred template format, simply define the month and day, and add the tasks you will work on in the 30-minute intervals.
You can use your to-do list to help you decide which tasks to time block.
Who should use the 30-Minute Daily Time Blocking Planner?
This time blocking template is great for people who find the 15-minute daily planner too detailed for the time blocks they usually implement. It’s also great if you like to stay focused and give more attention to a larger number of smaller tasks.
⬇️ Download 30-Minute Daily Planner PDF
⬇️ Download Printer-Friendly 30-Minute Daily Planner PDF
⬇️ Download 30-Minute Daily Planner XLSX
Daily schedule template #3: 24-Hour Daily Time Blocking Planner
In case you’d like to go beyond time blocking your workday and you’d like to include your off-hours too, then the 24-Hour Daily Time Blocking Planner template could come in handy.
What is the 24-Hour Daily Time Blocking Planner?
This daily planner template is broken down into 1-hour intervals, spanned across 24 hours of the day.
How to use the 24-Hour Daily Time Blocking Planner?
As soon as you’ve downloaded your preferred template format, start by defining the month and day, then add the tasks you will work on within each hour.
You can use your to-do list to help you decide which tasks to time block.
Who should use the 24-Hour Daily Time Blocking Planner?
The first half of the day usually belongs to standard work hours. However, including the second half of the 24-hour day, i.e., night time, makes this time management template suitable for freelance night owls and people who’d like to time block their time off work too.
This daily time tracking spreadsheet is also great when you need to work late to beat a deadline, or when you’re working with a team that operates in a different time zone than yours.
⬇️ Download 24-Hour Daily Planner PDF
⬇️ Download Printer-Friendly 24-Hour Daily Planner PDF
⬇️ Download 24-Hour Daily Planner XLSX
💡 Clockify Pro Tip
Daily time blocking goes hand in hand with deep work. Find out how to get into the state of the uninterrupted workflow to make the most out of your schedule:
Weekly Block Schedule Templates
Weekly schedule templates are great when you want to look at the bigger picture when planning your time blocks.
You have the time broken down into days of the week — some weekly schedule templates include weekends in addition to weekdays.
Considering that deciding what your priorities are is vital for helping you choose what to block time for first, the listed sheets also come with a to-do list and a section for adding notes and comments.
Weekly schedule template #1: 5-Day Weekly Time Blocking Planner (1-hour intervals)
If you work a regular 5-day workweek and you’d like to time block your tasks, then the 5-Day Weekly Time Blocking Planner template could be a great asset in scheduling your days.
💡 Clockify Pro Tip
In case you’re thinking of switching to a 4-day workweek, or your company has just recently introduced this schedule, make sure you check out the following blog post:
What is the 5-Day Weekly Time Blocking Planner (1-hour intervals)?
This weekly planner template is broken down into a 5-day workweek, with each day divided into 1-hour intervals, spanning across 24 hours of the day.
How to use the 5-Day Weekly Time Blocking Planner (1-hour intervals)?
After downloading your preferred template format, define the week date range, and add the tasks you will work on within each 1-hour interval.
You can use your to-do list to help you decide which tasks to time block.
Who should use the 5-Day Weekly Time Blocking Planner (1-hour intervals)?
This time block schedule template is perfect if you have a standard 5-day workweek with weekends off. Its 24-hour span makes it adaptable to anyone — from early-to-late night shift workers to flexible freelancers.
💡 Clockify Pro Tip
Working night shifts does not necessarily need to wreak havoc on your wellbeing if you take necessary steps to combat negative effects. Read more about it here:
⬇️ Download 5-Day Weekly Planner (1-hour intervals) PDF
⬇️ Download Printer-Friendly 5-Day Weekly Planner (1-hour intervals) PDF
⬇️ Download 5-Day Weekly Planner (1-hour intervals) XLSX
Weekly schedule template #2: 7-Day Weekly Time Blocking Planner (1-hour intervals)
In case you work the weekends or you’d like to time block your free time too, the 7-Day Weekly Time Blocking Planner template could be a great option.
What is the 7-Day Weekly Time Blocking Planner (1-hour intervals)?
This weekly planner template is broken down into a 7-day workweek, with each day divided into 1-hour intervals, spanning over 24 hours of the day.
How to use the 7-Day Weekly Time Blocking Planner (1-hour intervals)?
As soon as you’ve downloaded your preferred template format, simply define the week date range, and add the tasks you will work on within each 1-hour interval.
You can use your to-do list to help you decide which tasks to time block.
Who should use the 7-Day Weekly Time Blocking Planner (1-hour intervals)?
This time management template is perfect for freelancers or regular employees who often need to block time for work and other errands over the weekends, as well as over the weekdays.
⬇️ Download 7-Day Weekly Planner (1-hour intervals) PDF
⬇️ Download Printer-Friendly 7-Day Weekly Planner (1-hour intervals) PDF
⬇️ Download 7-Day Weekly Planner (1-hour intervals) XLSX
Weekly schedule template #3: Biweekly Time Blocking Planner (1-day intervals)
If you’re usually working on lengthier projects, or you’d just like to keep track of your time blocking habits, then the Biweekly Time Blocking Planner template could make those tasks much easier.
What is the Biweekly Time Blocking Planner (1-day intervals)?
This weekly planner template is broken down into a two-week time period, divided across 14 separate days.
How to use the Biweekly Time Blocking Planner (1-day intervals)?
After downloading your chosen template format, start by defining the 2-week date range, and then add the tasks you will work on within each 1-day interval.
You can use your to-do list to help decide which tasks to time block.
Who should use the Biweekly Time Blocking Planner (1-day intervals)?
This time management template is ideal if you have a small project to work on and you need to block time over a longer time period to make sure you make time for all the tasks you have to perform.
⬇️ Download Biweekly Planner (1-day intervals) PDF
⬇️ Download Printer-Friendly Biweekly Planner (1-day intervals) PDF
⬇️ Download Biweekly Planner (1-day intervals) XLSX
Monthly Block Schedule templates
Monthly schedule templates are great for larger projects you want to schedule and keep track of. The time blocks span across one or several months to help you get a wider perspective of what you need to schedule time for.
These time management templates are also great when you want to manage a larger workload, as well as make and implement plans for your career and professional development.
They also include a to-do list you can use to define your priorities, i.e., the tasks you’ll want to allocate time to first. In addition, considering that monthly templates cover larger time periods, you can also add a list of your goals to help you feel inspired and motivated for your time blocks in the long run.
Furthermore, you can add some useful notes and comments in a separate section of the monthly planner templates.
💡 Clockify Pro Tip
Even when your hands are full trying to manage a large workload, you still need to try not to work beyond your capacity. Here’s how to prevent ending up overworked:
Monthly schedule template #1: Monthly Time Blocking Planner (1-day intervals)
In case you need to have a clear overview of your time blocking schedule for a one-month span, then the Monthly Time Blocking Planner template could be just the solution for that purpose.
What is the Monthly Time Blocking Planner (1-day intervals)?
This monthly time blocking planner is a ready-made template broken down into a 31-day time period.
How to use the Monthly Time Blocking Planner (1-day intervals)?
As soon as you’ve downloaded your preferred template format, simply define the month, and add the tasks you will work on within the 1-day intervals.
You can use your to-do list to help decide which tasks to time block, and your goal list to help keep you motivated.
Who should use the Monthly Time Blocking Planner (1-day intervals)?
This monthly schedule template is great if you have a deadline for a project by the end of the month and need a clear overview of the work you still have to finish.
⬇️ Download Monthly Planner (1-day intervals) PDF
⬇️ Download Printer-Friendly Monthly Planner (1-day intervals) PDF
⬇️ Download Monthly Planner (1-day intervals) XLSX
Monthly schedule template #2: 3-Month Time Blocking Planner (1-day intervals)
If you need a detailed overview of your time blocking schedule over a longer period of time, you could greatly benefit from using the 3-Month Time Blocking Planner template.
What is the 3-Month Time Blocking Planner (1-day intervals)?
This 3-Month Planner is a ready-to-use template broken down into three separate 31-day time periods.
How to use the 3-Month Time Blocking Planner (1-day intervals)?
After downloading your preferred template format, define the month range and add the tasks you will work on within the 1-day intervals.
You can use your to-do list to help decide which tasks to time block, and your goal list to help keep you motivated.
Who should use the 3-Month Time Blocking Planner (1-day intervals)?
This planner sheet is perfect if you’re working on a large project, or if you’re working on perfecting your time management skills.
⬇️ Download 3-Month Planner (1-day intervals) PDF
⬇️ Download Printer-Friendly 3-Month Planner (1-day intervals) PDF
⬇️ Download 3-Month Planner (1-day intervals) XLSX
Monthly schedule template #3: Year-round Monthly Block Schedule (1-day intervals)
If you’d like to measure your productivity in the most efficient way, the Year-round Monthly Block Schedule template can help you get a clear overview of your productivity levels.
What is the Year-round Monthly Block Schedule (1-day intervals)?
The Year-round Monthly Block Schedule is a simple to use template broken down into a 12-month time period divided into 29, 30, and 31 days.
How to use the Year-round Monthly Block Schedule (1-day intervals)?
Start by downloading your preferred template format, define the year, and add the tasks you will work on within the 1-day intervals.
You can block time on your year-round planner gradually, week by week, or month by month.
Also, you can use your to-do list to help decide which tasks to time block, and your goal list to help keep you motivated.
Each day you fulfill your time block, mark that day with the color red. Your goal is to keep on fulfilling your time blocks day after day, and keeping your chain of red days unbroken, as proof of the progress you’re making with your skills, tasks, and goals.
Who should use the Year-round Monthly Block Schedule (1-day intervals)?
This time blocking planner works as an efficient ‘don’t break the chain’ calendar. So, it’s perfect for anyone who wants to start implementing the Seinfeld method, one of the best time management techniques for people looking to work on their professional skills regularly.
⬇️ Download Year-round monthly planner template PDF
⬇️ Download Printer-Friendly Year-round monthly planner template PDF
⬇️ Download Year-round monthly planner template XLSX
How to time block with a time blocking planner app
It’s one thing to write out a to-do list and plan out your day. But getting a planner and giving every task a proper time estimate is something completely different.
One of the most important things to remember is how to stay disciplined.
If you set 30 minutes on a task, you’ll also need to make sure you don’t spend 35, 45, or 90 minutes on the said task. The best way to do this is to track the time you spend on all the time blocks with a time blocking app.
Clockify, for example, fits into your work habits seamlessly. You can download the tool on your preferred device or use it in the browser. The latter also gives you the freedom to start and stop the timer in a snap while working with any browser-based tool.
Clockify can serve as your free daily productivity planner or a weekly plan app, meant to help you assess your time results and make decisions about your future time blocking workflow. Here’s how your time tracking should look.
Step #1: Start the timer
Each time you start working on a time block from your planner, start the timer.
You can start the timer by clicking the Start button directly in the app or by using the Clockify browser extension, which lets you track the time you spend on tasks and within other apps in one click.
Step #2: Work on your task
The timer will start ticking, and you’ll be able to see it in your browser tab — you can take a glance at the ticking timer occasionally to see how well you’re doing and how much time you have left before the time block is up.
Step #3: Stop the timer
Once you’re done with the task, click the Stop button — this action will add your time entry to the list of time entries below, where you can analyze your efficiency at a glance. If you’re using the 30-Minute Daily Planner and you’ve really spent 30 minutes on said task, that’s great!
Step #4: Revise your time blocks
If you find that you’ve spent more time completing your task than you have originally planned, it’s time to revise the amount of time you block for your tasks — and maybe switch over to the 24-Hour Daily Planner or try one of the weekly planner sheets.
Pro step: Time block in the calendar view
Clockify also features a calendar view where you can input, edit, and delete all your time blocks for the day or the week. It’s as easy as using a regular digital calendar but with the perk of having a timer right there in the corner, without the need to integrate any additional app.
As seen in the image above, you can organize your time blocks right away in Clockify’s calendar. After creating an entry, the app also allows you to drag the edges to extend or shorten the time for that block.
As you modify your time block, in the bottom right you’ll see Clockify shifting your entries in smaller increments. This makes time edits that much quicker since you won’t have to enter time manually.
Immediately after you’ve dragged the cursor across the calendar in the time range you wanted, you’ll see a new Add time entry window pop right up.
Then, simply add the time, date, description, and project, and you’re ready to move on with your day.
Conclusion: Choose a time blocking planner that fits your habits
Your schedule and workflow will always dictate how you organize your time blocks.
If your day is packed with small tasks that require a lot of switching, you will probably go for 15/30 minute intervals.
But for those tasked with more deep work, something that ranges up to an hour would be perfect.
Time blocking planners are most effective when they cover a set period — like a week or even a month. This allows you to take a look at your time blocks across a wider range and help you improve your scheduling.
In case you’re in for a more automated approach to time blocking, then going for a time blocking planner app could assist you in getting into your flow state and staying on track with your time blocks more efficiently.
Still, whichever the block schedule planner you pick, make sure to:
- Test it out first,
- See how it fits into your day, and
- Try to stick with it for a while.
This way, you’ll make sure that you’ll keep to your daily time blocking habits and ultimately perform your best.
✉️ What do you think of our time blocking planners? Any suggestions on how we can improve them? Let us know at blogfeedback@clockify.me and we may feature your ideas in a new article. Also, if you liked this blog post, share it with someone you think would be interested in reading it.
