A 3-Step Guide To Teach Students How To Time Block 🗓️
- Sean McCormick
- Sep 5, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
Last updated: April, 2026
Want to share a product or service with over 6,000 parents and educators interested in executive functioning?
Could your student focus better and feel less overwhelmed if they knew exactly when to work on each task?
In this post, I explain what time blocking is, why it helps students with executive dysfunction, and 3 simple steps parents and educators can use to teach it.
Table of Contents
A lot of students are not struggling because they are lazy or unmotivated.
They are struggling because no one has really shown them how to make a plan for their time in a way that actually feels doable.
So they get home, bounce between homework, their phone, snacks, stress, and random distractions, and then suddenly the night is gone.
Today, I'll teach you the power of time blocking and how it can positively impact the lives of students with ADHD.
By the end, you’ll have a practical understanding of how to teach time blocking, recognize its importance, and be equipped with actionable steps to implement this valuable executive function skill.
But first, what is time blocking, and how is it different than using a calendar?👇
What is Time Blocking?
Time blocking is a time management technique where you schedule specific blocks for different tasks or activities throughout your day.
Instead of working from a general to-do list, you assign each task to a particular time slot, helping you stay focused and prioritize your work.
For example, time blocking for a high school student might look like this:
3:30 - 4:00 PM: Unwind/Free time (relax, snack, or brief screen time)
4:00 - 4:30 PM: Homework – Math (focused work on math assignments)
4:30 - 5:00 PM: Break (walk, stretch, or quick outdoor activity)
5:00 - 5:30 PM: Homework – English (reading or essay writing)
5:30 - 6:00 PM: Study review for upcoming quiz (quick review session)
6:00 - 6:30 PM: Dinner
So why does time blocking matter for students with executive dysfunction?
Why Does Time Blocking Matter?
Mastering time blocking has many benefits, such as:
Better time estimation
Realistic goal setting
Reduced anxiety around time management.
It empowers students to control their schedules and enhances productivity, rather than "winging it" every day, then drowning in responsibilities.
For parents, this practice provides relief, knowing students are being intentional about how they use their time.
Why Don't More Students Use Time Blocking?
There are many reasons why students do not often use time blocking.
Here are two common ones:
Parents and educators don't know how to time-block themselves
Parents and educators often make broad statements like "finish your homework" instead of guiding students to allocate specific time blocks.
Parents and educators often focus on task completion rather than time invested
Focusing on completing tasks rather than dedicating time to them can lead to frustration.
It’s more effective to set time-based goals, like
"work on this for 30 minutes,"
which creates a feeling of success regardless of whether the assignment is completed.
This aligns with a fundamental principle of effective parenting and teaching:
focusing on progress, not perfection.
3 Steps to Teach Time Blocking
Step 1: Have students time block their "ideal week"
One way to help students get invested in this skill is to have them block out their ideal week on a calendar.
To start this, download this free Ideal Week Template for students from our printable library. Alternatively, you can use a digital or paper calendar.
This will help your students see the bigger picture and understand time blocking, while framing the activity around something they are interested in.
It may help for you to share your ideal week with them as an example so they can see that adults practice time blocking, as well.
Step 2: Develop time-based goals (not outcome based)
Next, have your students list out all their upcoming and missing assignments which will be easy to do if you've taught them how to use our Student Dashboard.
If you are not familiar with using a student dashboard, check out my free, step-by-step guide on how to help your student have the best semester yet, by clicking here.
Once they know what is upcoming and due, have them block out times to work on assignments.
But make sure to emphasize that it is ok if they don't complete the assignment during that block.
Their only goal should be to set aside time to work on that assignment or subject area.
This frees up their mind from the fear of failure, focusing on task-initiation, instead.
Step 3: Review and reflect on the time blocks, each week
Lastly, schedule weekly check-ins to review time blocks.
Discuss what worked, what didn’t, and how they can improve.
This process of self-reporting their progress, then adjusting their approach, has been shown to have a huge impact on student achievement according to research.👇
Remember, start small and around your student's interests.
If you are consistent about embedding this into your classroom or afterschool routine, you'll be amazed at the results before you are even halfway through the semester.
FAQs
What if my student does not follow the time blocks perfectly?
That is completely normal, especially at the beginning. The goal is not to build a perfect schedule on day one, but to help your student practice planning their time and noticing what works.
How long should a time block be for students with executive dysfunction?
It depends on the student, but shorter blocks usually work better at first. Starting with 20 to 30 minutes of focused work followed by a short break is often much more realistic than expecting long stretches of concentration.
Should time blocking include breaks and free time too?
Yes, absolutely. If you only block out schoolwork, the schedule starts to feel like a punishment, and kids will want to avoid it.
The Bottom Line
Time blocking is a powerful executive function skill that builds confidence, reduces anxiety, and can be used throughout life.
Here are 3 small steps you can take today to teach this skill to your students:
Have your students create their ideal week using this template.
Teach your students the difference between time-based goals and outcome based goals.
Do a weekly review of their time blocked schedule and ask them what worked, what didn't and what they will do next week.
Hope this helps 🤙🏻
This article is a part of the larger category of:
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P.S. If you want to work on executive function skills with your students, consider joining hundreds of other educators and parents who have completed my Semester Success Blueprint Course. In less than 2 hours, this comprehensive course will teach you and your student the system I developed to help hundreds of students learn how to manage school effectively and raise their self-awareness and engagement with school.
About Me
Hey! I'm Sean 👋
I'm a former public school special education teacher who realized that executive function skills are more important than knowing when George Washington crossed the Potomac.
Since then, I've made it my mission to teach anyone who will listen about how to develop these key life skills.
In 2020, I founded Executive Function Specialists to ensure all students with ADHD and Autism have access to high-quality online executive function coaching services. We offer online EF coaching and courses to help students and families.
Realizing I could only reach so many people through coaching, in 2021 I started the Executive Function Coaching Academy which trains schools, educators, and individuals to learn the key strategies to improve executive function skills for students.
In 2023, I co-founded of UpSkill Specialists, to provide neurodivergent adults with high-quality executive function coaching services.
When not pursuing my passions through work, I love spending time with my family, getting exercise, and growing my brain through reading. You can connect with me on LinkedIn.
Want me to speak on executive function skills at your event? Learn more about my speaking topics here.