Time blocking is Cal Newport's answer to the chaos of modern work. You take every task, meeting, and commitment and assign it a specific time slot on your calendar. Nothing gets done unless it has time allocated.
The method sounds simple but gets messy fast in practice. Tasks take longer than expected. Meetings move. Urgent things pop up. Paper planners can't adapt, and Google Calendar wasn't built for this workflow.
We tested these apps by actually time blocking our work for weeks. The test: Can you quickly block time for tasks? Does it sync with your existing calendar? What happens when everything goes sideways at 2pm and your whole plan is now wrong? Can you reschedule without starting from scratch?
What separates good time blocking software from calendar apps with task features is how they handle the inevitable chaos. The best ones make rescheduling fast, pull tasks from tools you already use, and automate the boring parts of planning your day.
How We Chose This Software
Time blocking software needs to actually support the time blocking workflow, not just let you create calendar events for tasks. That's a higher bar than it sounds.
Task consolidation was the first thing we checked. Cal Newport's method assumes you have one master list of everything you need to do. But most people have tasks scattered across Asana, Gmail, Slack, Notion, and random text files. The best apps pull all those tasks into one view so you can block time for everything without manually copying between systems.
Calendar integration quality mattered enormously. Your time blocks need to coexist with your actual meetings and appointments. Two-way sync with Google Calendar or Outlook is non-negotiable. We tested whether changes in one place reflected in the other, how conflicts were handled, and if the integration actually worked reliably.
Rescheduling speed was critical. Time blocking falls apart if adjusting your plan takes five minutes of dragging blocks around. The best apps let you reschedule with quick gestures, automatically suggest new times, or use AI to rebuild your plan when things change.
The planning workflow itself varied by app. Some force you through daily planning rituals. Others let you plan whenever. Some use AI to schedule tasks automatically. We evaluated whether each approach actually helps or just adds friction.
Time tracking integration helped with improving estimates. If an app tracks how long tasks actually take versus what you planned, you get better at estimating over time. This makes time blocking more accurate and less frustrating.
We also looked at whether apps support different time blocking styles. Some people block every 15-minute chunk. Others block big 2-hour chunks and leave details flexible. Different apps favor different approaches, which matters for matching your natural work style.
Top Picks
Here's what we found:
Best Overall - Akiflow
Best AI Scheduling - Motion
Best for Mindfulness - Sunsama
Best for Automatic Scheduling - Reclaim.ai
Best for Visual Planning - Timestripe
Best for Mobile - Structured
Best for Power Users - Routine
These picks come from weeks of actually time blocking with each app, not just reading marketing pages.
Akiflow
Best Overall
Akiflow is built specifically for people who live in their calendar and need to block every hour of their day. It's the most comprehensive time blocking tool we tested.
Time slots are Akiflow's killer feature. Instead of blocking separate calendar events for five related tasks, you create a time slot called something like "Admin Work" and drag multiple tasks into it. This batching makes time blocking feel natural instead of creating a calendar full of tiny events. Task consolidation pulls from basically everything - ClickUp, Asana, Todoist, Gmail, Slack, Notion, Linear, and more. Tasks sync in real-time, so you're always blocking time for current work.
Best for
Knowledge workers who time block religiously every single day and need maximum control over their schedule. Perfect for people juggling tasks across multiple tools (Asana, Todoist, Slack, Notion) who need consolidation in one view. Great for productivity enthusiasts willing to invest time learning a powerful system with shortcuts and advanced features. Ideal if you value time tracking to improve estimate accuracy over weeks of data.
Not ideal if
You want something simple that works immediately without a learning curve, Akiflow's interface is dense and overwhelming initially. Not great if $19/month annually ($34 monthly) feels expensive for time blocking software. Skip this if you primarily work from mobile, the mobile app is functional but doesn't match the desktop experience. The command bar and keyboard shortcuts won't appeal if you prefer mouse-based interfaces.
Real-world example
A product manager pulls tasks from Asana (product work), Slack (team requests), Gmail (stakeholder emails), and Notion (documentation tasks) into Akiflow. They create a time slot called "Product Planning - 2 hours" and drag 5 related Asana tasks into it. The command bar (CMD+K) lets them instantly schedule blocks without clicking. Time tracking reveals they consistently underestimate design reviews by 30 minutes, so they adjust future estimates. The calendar view shows time blocks alongside meetings in one unified timeline.
Team fit
Best for individual contributors or small teams (2-5 people) who time block independently. Works well for remote workers coordinating across multiple projects and tools. Less ideal for large teams since Akiflow is focused on personal time blocking, not team coordination. Perfect for power users in product management, engineering, or creative roles with complex, fragmented workflows.
Onboarding reality
Steep learning curve. Initial setup requires connecting all your task sources (Asana, Todoist, Slack, etc.), configuring calendar sync, and learning the interface. Most users report 1-2 weeks before feeling comfortable with time slots, command bar shortcuts, and the calendar view. The investment pays off for daily users, but casual time blockers never master it. Expect 3-5 hours of learning before productive use.
Pricing friction
$19/month annually ($228/year) or $34/month monthly. This is expensive for time blocking software, especially compared to free options like Google Calendar time blocking. The pricing is justified if Akiflow saves you even 3-4 hours per month (worth $150-300+ for knowledge workers), but it feels steep upfront. No free tier, only a trial period to test before committing.
Integrations that matter
Pulls tasks from ClickUp, Asana, Todoist, Gmail, Slack, Notion, Linear, Jira, and 20+ other tools. Calendar sync with Google Calendar and Outlook. The task consolidation is genuinely best-in-class, no other time blocking tool pulls from this many sources seamlessly. Real-time sync means changes in source apps reflect immediately in Akiflow.
Motion
AI Scheduling
Motion flips time blocking from manual planning to AI automation. You tell Motion what needs doing and when, and it builds your time-blocked schedule automatically.
The AI considers deadlines, priority, estimated duration, and calendar availability. When something changes - a meeting moves, a task gets added, you finish something early - Motion automatically reschedules affected blocks. This removes the busywork of constantly replanning your day. Project management is built in, which is unusual for time blocking apps. You can create projects, break them into tasks, set dependencies, and Motion schedules everything intelligently.
Best for
People who hate the planning overhead of traditional time blocking and want AI to handle calendar Tetris automatically. Perfect for teams needing shared visibility into everyone's capacity and workload. Great for anyone managing complex projects with dependencies where tasks need to be scheduled based on what must happen first. Ideal if you're comfortable delegating control to AI and trust the system to optimize your schedule.
Not ideal if
You want full manual control over exactly when tasks happen, the AI makes decisions that you might disagree with. Not great if $34/month for individuals feels expensive ($12/user/month for teams is more reasonable). Skip this if you prefer simple tools without project management complexity, Motion tries to be your entire task system. The AI sometimes schedules focused work when you'd prefer admin time, requiring manual overrides that feel like fighting the core feature.
Real-world example
A software engineering manager adds tasks to Motion: "Review pull requests - 2 hours," "Sprint planning prep - 1 hour," "One-on-ones with team - 3 hours," "Write technical spec - 4 hours." Motion's AI automatically blocks Thursday morning (their most focused time) for the technical spec, schedules one-on-ones across the week when the manager has availability, and fits pull request reviews in afternoon chunks. When an urgent stakeholder meeting gets added Tuesday, Motion automatically reschedules affected tasks to later in the week.
Team fit
Works for individuals but shines for teams of 5-20 people who need shared visibility and coordination. Best for teams with meeting-heavy cultures where protecting focus time is critical. The team pricing ($12/user/month) makes it viable for product teams, engineering teams, or agencies. Less ideal for solo practitioners who don't need team features and would just pay the higher individual rate.
Onboarding reality
Moderate complexity. Initial setup requires adding your tasks, setting deadlines and priorities, connecting your calendar, and configuring work hours. The AI needs 3-5 days to learn your patterns and optimize effectively. Most users report the first week feels awkward (odd scheduling choices) but by week two the AI clicks. The project management features add complexity if you're used to simple time blocking.
Pricing friction
$34/month for individuals ($408/year), which is expensive for time blocking. Teams pay $12/user/month ($144/year per person), much more reasonable. You're paying for AI automation and project management, not just time blocking. The pricing is justified if Motion saves you 5+ hours per month by optimizing your schedule, but it feels steep upfront compared to manual time blocking tools.
Integrations that matter
Syncs with Google Calendar and Outlook for calendar integration. Basic Zapier connection for task automation. Motion is designed to replace your task management system entirely, so it doesn't pull tasks from Asana, Todoist, or other tools. The integration philosophy is "all-in on Motion" rather than "consolidate from multiple sources" like Akiflow.
Sunsama
Mindful Time Blocking
Sunsama treats time blocking as a mindfulness practice, not just productivity optimization. The app is designed to help you plan intentionally and work sustainably.
Daily planning ritual starts each day. You review your calendar, pull tasks from integrated apps, and consciously decide what you'll commit to. Sunsama guides you through this step-by-step. It takes 10-15 minutes but creates real intentionality about your day. Task imports pull from Asana, Trello, Gmail, ClickUp, and similar tools. Unlike apps that automatically schedule everything, Sunsama makes you review each task and decide if it belongs in today's plan. This friction is intentional, preventing over-planning.
Best for
People prone to over-planning who need help being realistic about what actually fits in a day. Perfect for anyone dealing with burnout who wants sustainable productivity instead of cramming maximum tasks. Great for people with ADHD who benefit from structured planning rituals and step-by-step guidance. Ideal if you value mindfulness and intentional work over speed and efficiency, and appreciate the deliberate pace.
Not ideal if
You want speed and efficiency, Sunsama's deliberate 10-15 minute daily planning ritual feels slow. Not great if you prefer automation over manual decision-making, the app forces you to review every task consciously. Skip this if $20/month annually ($30 monthly) feels expensive for guided time blocking with task integration. The calm, minimal design might feel too simple if you want dense feature-rich interfaces like Akiflow.
Real-world example
A consultant recovering from burnout starts each morning with Sunsama's planning ritual. They pull tasks from Asana (client work), Gmail (emails needing responses), and Trello (personal projects). Sunsama shows they have 6 hours available today but have pulled in 10 hours of tasks. The visual feedback forces them to cut 4 hours of work, moving it to tomorrow or next week. They drag remaining tasks onto their calendar, blocking focused time for client work and leaving buffer space. The weekly review shows they consistently over-estimate capacity on Mondays, so they adjust planning.
Team fit
Designed for individuals, not teams. Best for solo practitioners, freelancers, or individual contributors at companies who want personal time blocking without team coordination. Works well for consultants, coaches, therapists, or knowledge workers managing their own schedules. Not ideal for teams needing shared visibility or collaborative planning.
Onboarding reality
Low to moderate friction. Sunsama's guided planning ritual teaches you the workflow from day one. Setup involves connecting your task sources (Asana, Gmail, etc.) and calendar, then following the daily planning flow. Most users are comfortable within 2-3 days because the app holds your hand through each step. The challenge is building the discipline for daily 10-15 minute planning sessions, not learning the tool.
Pricing friction
$20/month annually ($240/year) or $30/month monthly. This is expensive for what's essentially guided time blocking with task integration. Compared to free Google Calendar time blocking, you're paying for the mindful planning ritual and anti-burnout design. The pricing is justified if Sunsama prevents you from overworking (avoiding burnout worth thousands in lost productivity), but it feels steep for a calendar tool.
Integrations that matter
Pulls tasks from Asana, Trello, Gmail, ClickUp, Jira, GitHub, and other productivity tools. Calendar sync with Google Calendar and Outlook. Unlike Akiflow's automatic real-time sync, Sunsama makes you manually review and import tasks during daily planning. This intentional friction prevents task overload and encourages conscious prioritization.
Reclaim.ai
Automatic Scheduling
Reclaim.ai automatically finds time in your calendar for tasks, habits, and meetings. It's time blocking that runs itself.
The core concept is smart events. You tell Reclaim you need 3 hours this week for "Write proposal" and it automatically finds available slots in your calendar. As meetings get added or moved, Reclaim reschedules your task blocks to fit around them. Habits are recurring time blocks for things like lunch, exercise, or focused work. Reclaim defends this time by marking it as busy on your calendar, but automatically moves it when actual meetings conflict. This creates boundaries without the rigidity of hard calendar blocks.
Best for
People who want time blocking without any manual planning effort, the automation handles everything. Perfect for teams trying to protect focus time while staying available for meetings, Reclaim optimizes for both. Great for anyone who finds traditional time blocking too tedious or time-consuming. Ideal if you have recurring habits (lunch, exercise, focused work blocks) that need automatic scheduling around your changing meeting schedule.
Not ideal if
You want manual control over exactly when tasks happen, Reclaim's AI makes final decisions even if they're not when you'd choose. Not great if you want a dedicated planning interface, Reclaim mostly operates within your existing Google Calendar. Skip this if you need complex task management or project features, Reclaim is purely automatic time blocking for simple tasks and habits. The lack of manual control frustrates people who want to plan their own day.
Real-world example
A sales director tells Reclaim they need 5 hours this week for "Prepare Q1 territory plan" and have daily habits: "Lunch 12-1pm," "Gym 6-7am," "Focus time 2 hours/day." Reclaim automatically finds time slots for the territory planning (Wednesday 9-11am, Friday 2-5pm) and blocks the daily habits. When a client meeting gets added Thursday 2pm (conflicting with focus time), Reclaim automatically moves that focus block to Thursday 4-6pm. The calendar stays protected without manual rescheduling.
Team fit
Works for individuals but designed for teams of 10-50 people who need coordinated scheduling. Best for teams with heavy meeting cultures (sales, account management, customer success) where protecting focus time is hard. Team sync features help find meeting times that work for everyone's availability and preferences. Less ideal for solo practitioners who don't need team coordination features.
Onboarding reality
Low friction. Connect your Google Calendar, add a few tasks or habits, set your working hours and preferences (no focus work before 10am, lunch 12-2pm). Reclaim starts scheduling automatically within minutes. Most users are productive from day one because there's minimal manual planning required. The challenge is trusting the AI's scheduling decisions, which takes 3-5 days of observation.
Pricing friction
Generous free tier for individuals includes smart habits and basic task scheduling. Paid plans at $8-12/user/month add team features, unlimited habits, and priority support. The free tier is surprisingly functional for automatic time blocking, making it risk-free to try. For teams, the per-user cost is reasonable compared to Motion ($12/user) or Akiflow ($19/user).
Integrations that matter
Works exclusively with Google Calendar, which limits flexibility for Outlook or iCloud users. Integrates with Slack for meeting scheduling and notifications. Connects to Linear, Asana, Jira for pulling tasks (on paid plans). The Google Calendar-only requirement is a significant limitation for mixed-platform teams, but the integration depth is excellent for Google Workspace users.
Timestripe
Visual Time Blocking
Timestripe visualizes time blocking across multiple time horizons - day, week, month, year, and life. It's time blocking for people who think visually and long-term.
The timeline view shows tasks organized by when you plan to do them, with different zoom levels for different planning horizons. You can zoom out to see your whole year or zoom in to today's hourly blocks. This multi-scale view helps connect daily time blocks to bigger goals. Drag-and-drop planning feels more tactile than most time blocking apps. You drag tasks between time periods, and the visual representation makes it obvious when you've over-planned or have capacity.
Best for
Visual thinkers who want to see time laid out spatially instead of text lists. Perfect for people who plan across multiple time horizons (daily, weekly, monthly, yearly) and want to connect short-term tasks to long-term goals. Great for anyone who finds beauty in tools motivating, Timestripe's interface is genuinely gorgeous. Ideal if you value the "why am I doing this?" connection between daily time blocks and life goals.
Not ideal if
You just want to block today's tasks quickly without long-term goal planning, Timestripe's multi-horizon approach feels unnecessary. Not great if you need automatic scheduling or AI assistance, everything is manual drag-and-drop. Skip this if you rely on integrations with Asana, Todoist, or other task tools, Timestripe has fewer integrations than competitors. The visual timeline planning won't appeal to people who prefer simple task lists.
Real-world example
A freelance writer uses Timestripe to connect daily work to bigger goals. Their "life" horizon shows "Build sustainable writing career." Yearly horizon: "Publish book, grow newsletter to 10k subscribers." Monthly: "Write 4 book chapters, 8 newsletter issues." Weekly: "Draft chapter 3, write 2 newsletters, pitch 3 clients." Daily: Time blocks for "Write chapter 3 - 2 hours," "Newsletter draft - 1 hour," "Client pitches - 30 min." The visual timeline shows how today's 2-hour writing block connects to the yearly book goal.
Team fit
Designed for individuals, not teams. Best for solo practitioners, freelancers, or entrepreneurs who manage their own schedules and set their own goals. Works well for people in creative fields (writers, designers, consultants) who need to balance client work with long-term projects. Not suited for team coordination or shared planning.
Onboarding reality
Moderate learning curve. The multi-horizon timeline is visually intuitive but requires thinking differently about time blocking. Most users spend 1-2 hours setting up their life/year/month/week goals before daily time blocking makes sense. The investment pays off if you value connecting daily work to long-term purpose, but feels like overhead if you just want simple task scheduling.
Pricing friction
$10/month or $90/year ($7.50/month if paid annually). This is mid-range for time blocking software, cheaper than Motion ($34/month) or Akiflow ($19/month), more expensive than Reclaim.ai's free tier. The pricing is reasonable for the visual quality and unique multi-horizon approach, but still a subscription cost where free Google Calendar time blocking exists.
Integrations that matter
Limited integrations compared to Akiflow or Reclaim.ai. Basic calendar sync with Google Calendar and Apple Calendar. No task imports from Asana, Todoist, Notion, or other productivity tools. Timestripe is designed as a standalone planning system, not a task consolidation hub. The visual timeline is the core value, not breadth of integrations.
Structured
Mobile Time Blocking
Structured is mobile-first time blocking for iPhone and iPad. It's what time blocking looks like when designed for touch instead of desktop.
The daily timeline shows your tasks and calendar events in one scrollable view. You tap to add tasks, drag to schedule them, and everything happens with gestures that feel natural on a phone. This is stupidly rare - most time blocking apps feel like desktop apps squeezed onto mobile. Quick scheduling uses smart suggestions. Start typing "lunch" and Structured suggests 12pm. Type "morning pages" and it suggests 7am. These patterns learn from your behavior, making scheduling faster over time.
Best for
iPhone and iPad users who want to time block primarily on mobile, not desktop. Perfect for people who find desktop time blocking apps too complex and want simplicity. Great for anyone who does most of their planning on the go (commuters, travelers, mobile workers). Ideal if you value clean, focused interfaces without overwhelming feature sets or clutter. The cheap pricing ($10/year or $25 one-time) makes it accessible for budget-conscious users.
Not ideal if
You use Android, Structured is iOS-only which is a complete dealbreaker. Not great if you need desktop access for planning from your computer. Skip this if you need complex task management with projects, subtasks, dependencies, or team features. The lack of integrations means manually copying tasks from Asana, Todoist, or other tools into Structured.
Real-world example
A consultant who travels frequently uses Structured to plan their day from their iPhone. During their morning commute, they tap to add tasks: "Client call - 10am," "Proposal draft - 2 hours," "Expense reports - 30 min," "Gym - 6pm." Structured syncs with Apple Calendar so their client meetings appear automatically. When the client reschedules, Structured shows the conflict and they drag the proposal time block to a new slot. The gesture-based interface makes rescheduling feel natural on touch screens.
Team fit
Designed for individuals only, no team features at all. Best for solo practitioners, freelancers, or individual contributors who plan independently. Works well for mobile workers, remote consultants, or anyone who prefers planning on their phone rather than computer. Not suited for team coordination or shared planning.
Onboarding reality
Extremely low friction. Download from App Store, grant calendar permissions, start adding tasks. The interface is so simple and gesture-based that there's essentially no learning curve. Most users are time blocking effectively within 5 minutes. The smart suggestions for times ("lunch" suggests 12pm) make scheduling even faster as the app learns your patterns.
Pricing friction
$10/year or $25 one-time purchase. This is incredibly cheap for time blocking software compared to Akiflow ($19/month), Motion ($34/month), or even Timestripe ($10/month). The one-time purchase option is rare in productivity software and appealing for people who hate subscriptions. At this price point, there's essentially no barrier to trying it.
Integrations that matter
Syncs with Apple Calendar for calendar events (bidirectional sync, changes reflect both ways). That's basically it for integrations. No task imports from Asana, Todoist, Notion, or other productivity tools. Structured is designed as a standalone mobile time blocking app, not a task consolidation hub. The simplicity is the point, but the lack of integrations means manual task entry.
Routine
Power User Time Blocking
Routine combines tasks, calendar, and notes for people who want everything in one keyboard-driven app. It's time blocking for power users who hate switching contexts.
Calendar integration shows your meetings and events alongside task blocks. You schedule tasks by typing the time ("tomorrow 2pm") or dragging them onto the calendar. The keyboard-first approach makes this faster than mouse-based apps once you learn the shortcuts. Notes attach to tasks and calendar events, letting you capture context or meeting notes right where you need them. This reduces the need for separate note-taking apps. The console is Routine's dashboard showing upcoming blocks and tasks, like a command center for your day.
Best for
Keyboard-focused power users who work primarily from desktop and hate using the mouse. Perfect for people who want tasks, calendar, and notes in one app instead of switching between multiple tools. Great for anyone tired of context switching between productivity apps throughout the day. Ideal if you value typing speeds over visual interfaces and are comfortable with keyboard shortcuts.
Not ideal if
You need mobile access, Routine is desktop and web only with no mobile app. Not great if you want polished, fully-baked features, the app is actively developed but still rough in places. Skip this if you rely on extensive integrations with other tools, Routine has fewer than Akiflow or Motion. The lack of mobile is a dealbreaker for people who plan on the go or need to check tasks from their phone.
Real-world example
A software engineer uses Routine as their single productivity hub. They work from the console (keyboard shortcut opens it instantly), seeing today's upcoming tasks and time blocks. To schedule a task, they type "Code review tomorrow 2pm" and it's scheduled. During a standup meeting, they attach notes directly to the calendar event using keyboard shortcuts. Time boxing happens automatically when tasks are assigned to slots, and Routine tracks if they complete tasks within allocated time (improving estimate accuracy over weeks).
Team fit
Designed for individuals, not teams. Best for solo practitioners, developers, writers, or knowledge workers who manage their own schedules. Works well for power users who value keyboard efficiency and consolidation (tasks + calendar + notes). Not suited for team coordination or shared planning.
Onboarding reality
Moderate to steep learning curve. The keyboard-first approach requires learning shortcuts and commands to unlock speed benefits. Most users spend 1-2 weeks getting comfortable with the console, keyboard navigation, and note-taking features. If you're a mouse-based user, the transition feels awkward initially. The investment pays off for daily desktop users who value speed.
Pricing friction
Pricing isn't clearly listed on their website (which is frustrating). Based on user reports, it's around $12/month. This is mid-range for time blocking software, cheaper than Motion ($34/month) or Akiflow ($19/month), but more expensive than Reclaim.ai's free tier or Structured ($10/year). The unclear pricing signals the app is still in development and pricing may change.
Integrations that matter
Calendar sync with Google Calendar and Outlook. Fewer task integrations compared to Akiflow or Sunsama. Routine is designed as an all-in-one system (tasks, calendar, notes) rather than a task consolidation hub pulling from other tools. The integration philosophy is "use Routine for everything" rather than "connect all your existing tools."
Which Time Blocking Software Should You Choose?
Your ideal time blocking software depends on how you work and what you're trying to solve.
If you need to consolidate tasks from multiple tools and want maximum control, Akiflow is worth the learning curve and price. The time slots feature and task consolidation are unmatched. It's expensive and complex, but it's the most powerful manual time blocking system.
If you want AI to handle the scheduling busywork, Motion gives you full automation or Reclaim.ai offers automatic scheduling that works with your existing calendar. Motion is better for teams and complex projects. Reclaim is better for individuals who want to protect focus time.
If you struggle with over-planning or burnout, Sunsama's mindful approach forces realistic planning. The daily ritual takes time but creates intentionality that other apps lack.
If you're primarily mobile or find desktop apps too complex, Structured is the only mobile-first time blocking app that actually works well. It's simple, cheap, and designed for touch.
If you think visually and plan across different time scales, Timestripe's timeline view connects daily blocks to bigger goals. It's beautiful and comprehensive but requires more manual planning than automated alternatives.
For keyboard warriors who want everything in one app, Routine consolidates tasks, calendar, and notes. The lack of mobile app is a dealbreaker for some, but if you work from a computer, it reduces context switching.
Honestly, try the free trials of your top two choices. Time blocking is personal, and the app that sounds perfect might feel wrong in practice while the one you were skeptical about clicks immediately.
Time Blocking Software FAQ
What's the difference between time blocking software and a regular calendar app?
Calendar apps are built for meetings and appointments - events other people create. Time blocking software is built for planning your own work - tasks you need to do. Good time blocking apps pull tasks from other tools, make rescheduling easy, and separate your plans from actual commitments. You could time block in Google Calendar, but managing tasks as calendar events gets messy.
Do I need to block every minute of my day?
Cal Newport's original method blocks every minute, but most people find that exhausting in practice. Many users block big chunks (2-hour "focused work" blocks) and leave internal details flexible. Some apps like Akiflow support this with time slots. Others like Motion handle scheduling within blocks automatically. Start with bigger blocks and get more granular only if needed.
What happens when my schedule changes and all my blocks are wrong?
This is why rescheduling speed matters so much. Apps like Motion and Reclaim automatically adjust blocks when meetings move. Manual apps like Akiflow and Sunsama make dragging blocks fast. The worst apps require deleting and recreating blocks, which is tedious enough that people abandon the system. Test how an app handles changes before committing.
Can I time block if I have lots of meetings?
Yes, that's actually when time blocking helps most. The blocks protect time for actual work between meetings. Apps like Reclaim specifically solve the "calendar full of meetings, no time to work" problem by automatically defending focus time. The key is using software that syncs with your calendar and adjusts blocks around meetings.
Is time blocking worth it for people with ADHD?
Many people with ADHD find time blocking helpful because it removes decision fatigue about what to work on next and creates external structure. Apps like Sunsama and Akiflow are particularly effective because they reduce context switching. That said, some people with ADHD find the planning overhead frustrating or can't stick to rigid schedules. Try it and see.
How is this different from regular task management apps?
Task apps (Todoist, Things, Asana) are great at tracking what needs doing. Time blocking software forces you to decide when you'll do it. The difference is planning versus listing. Task apps show your commitments. Time blocking software shows if those commitments actually fit in your available time. Many people use both - tasks in one app, time blocking in another.
Final Thoughts
Time blocking software turns Cal Newport's analog method into something that actually works in a world of changing calendars, multiple task sources, and constant interruptions.
Akiflow is our top pick for people who need comprehensive task consolidation and manual control. Motion wins for AI-powered automatic scheduling. Sunsama is best for mindful, sustainable planning. Reclaim is perfect for protecting focus time automatically. Structured is the only great mobile option. Timestripe works for visual thinkers. Routine serves keyboard-focused power users.
The best time blocking software is the one you'll actually use daily. Every app here works if you commit to it. Pick based on your biggest pain point - scattered tasks, over-planning, constant rescheduling, or needing mobile access.
Remember that the time blocking method matters more than which software you choose. Even a basic Google Calendar implementation beats sophisticated software you abandon after a week. Start simple, stick with it, and upgrade only if you hit specific limitations.