Focus Blocks is designed for self-motivated individuals who find repetitive daily routines too monotonous.
- Plan Monthly: At the start of the month, decide the total number of Focus Blocks and allocate them across 4-7 areas (e.g., work, exercise).
- Choose Daily: Each morning, decide which areas to work on based on remaining blocks.
- Track Progress: Check off blocks throughout the day as you complete them.
- Reflect Nightly: Review and adjust block allocations if needed to match actual progress.
- Block: A 2–2.5 hour session of focused work. Aim for 2–5 blocks per day depending on your schedule.
- Area: A specific focus for the month, such as projects, hobbies, or fitness.
- Buffer: Extra blocks reserved for unforeseen circumstances, ensuring flexibility.
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Integrate with Planning:
- Long-Term Goals: Use annual or multi-year visions to guide monthly block allocations.
- Daily Structure: Wrap Focus Blocks with morning routines, breaks, and evening routines.
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Work vs. Rest Days: Classify each day as either a "Work Day" or "Play Day." Rest days should be fully restorative, while workdays are structured around Focus Blocks.
- Sense of Achievement: Completing a block is rewarding, as it’s based on effort rather than task completion.
- Flexibility with Agency: Work on less enjoyable tasks without feeling pressured. Choose when to tackle them, knowing they must be addressed eventually.
- Task Decoupling: Removes the pressure of finishing long-term tasks within one session by focusing on effort rather than visible results.
From 2020–2023, I used Google Sheets to track Focus Blocks but wanted something more interactive and customizable. On November 14, 2024, I released fob, a CLI program that brings Focus Blocks to life.