The whole method comes down to one thing: plan your time before you spend it. I keep it in a simple Google spreadsheet and set the week up on Sunday night, so Monday starts with a plan instead of a scramble. The short video below walks through exactly how to use the sheet.
Grab a copy of the planning sheet
What changed for the people who tried it
I did not expect the notes I got back. The sheet is just rows and hours, but what people described was about stress, focus, and control:
"The planning sheet helped tremendously. Using your method, I was able to prevent burnout. It also knocked out my procrastination. I actually kept my workouts this week, because I felt I had more control."N. Reddins
"It's been absolutely perfect. I love this. I feel less stressed, too. I have been telling everyone all week about it."Shaily Hakimian
"Your method helped increase my focus over the past couple of days."Saja Raoof
"All I can say is... how can something as simple as a spreadsheet be so eye-opening? I also realized I am way undercharging my clients."Anonymous
None of these are about doing more tasks. They are about feeling in control of the day: less burnout, less procrastination, less stress.
The idea behind it
Most tools track your time after you have spent it. This flips that around. You plan the hours before the work starts, so you can see what you are committing to before you say yes to it. That is the whole trick. When you can see the hours, you protect them.
Planning your week this way is the front door to working in six-week cycles. If it helps, the rest of the method is here on the site.