Dated archive · Max Ek · . Original content, reflecting the time it was written.
Most people's calendars are a mess.
Back-to-back meetings. No buffer time. Deep work squeezed into 30-minute gaps between calls. By Wednesday, they're burned out.
This isn't a time management problem. It's a design problem.
The default calendar is broken
Here's what happens when you don't design your week:
- Other people fill your calendar for you
- Urgent tasks crowd out important work
- You're always reacting, never creating
- You end the week exhausted with nothing meaningful shipped
Sound familiar?
Time blocking for humans
I've tried every productivity system. GTD. Pomodoro. Time blocking. Deep Work. They all have the same flaw: they assume you're a robot.
You're not. You have energy patterns. You have focus limits. You have a life outside work.
Here's what actually works:
1. Design your ideal week (not your ideal day)
Start with a blank calendar. Add the non-negotiables:
- Sleep (yes, block this)
- Exercise
- Meals with family
- Time to think
Everything else fits around these. Not the other way around.
2. Protect your deep work blocks
I have two 3-hour blocks per week where no one can book me:
- Monday 6-9am: Strategy and planning
- Thursday 6-9am: Building and shipping
These are sacred. They're when I do the work that actually matters.
3. Batch similar tasks
Meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday. Writing on Monday and Friday. Admin on Friday afternoon.
Context switching kills productivity. Batching reduces the tax.
4. Build in buffer time
Back-to-back meetings are a trap. I leave 15 minutes between every call for:
- Processing what just happened
- Preparing for what's next
- Using the bathroom (seriously)
5. Plan recovery
Friday afternoon is light. Saturday is off. Sunday morning is for movement and thinking.
You can't sprint all week and expect to stay sharp. Rest is part of the system.
My actual week
Here's what my calendar looks like:
Monday: Deep work (strategy), admin, light meetings
Tuesday: Meetings and calls
Wednesday: Meetings and calls
Thursday: Deep work (building), 1:1s
Friday: Writing, admin, recovery
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Long run, family time, light planning for the week
This gives me ~20 hours of focused work, ~10 hours of meetings, and enough space to stay sane.
The test
A well-designed week should:
- Give you energy, not drain it
- Feel sustainable over months, not just one week
- Create space for both execution and thinking
- Allow for flexibility without collapsing
If your calendar doesn't pass this test, redesign it.
What would your ideal week look like? Block it out and protect it for 30 days.