# Ep. 8: Plan Ahead with Block-scheduling | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter **Author:** Dr. Tesneem Alkiek **Series:** Habits to Win Here and Hereafter **Published:** 2022-01-13 **YouTube:** https://youtu.be/QwP5TNVrXWg **URL:** https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep8-plan-ahead-with-block-scheduling-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter **Topics:** General Psychology, Psychology & Mental Health ## Description Block-scheduling is a powerful habit that can ward off procrastination and up our productivity. As usual, we find that there is a built-in practice us Muslims already have to schedule our day in this style: the five daily prayers. What is “block-scheduling” Block-scheduling involves planning out... ## Transcript **[0:00]** It's 8am, you're fresh out of bed, dressed and ready to start your day. You sit down at your desk, open your laptop, and stare at your screen. You've got a long list of goals you put together, you've got the energy, but here you are not even sure what to do or how to start. **[0:15]** We've all been here before, and in fact, we might find ourselves here very often. But rest assured, there's a simple solution. It's called block scheduling. **[0:32]** Basically what it means is that at the start of every week, or even the night before, you plan out your day hour by hour. And I know this sounds intimidating at first, but I promise it's not as intense as you think. Essentially, you're creating a skeleton for your day. Say for example, you sat down every Sunday night to think about all the goals and tasks **[0:49]** you need to accomplish that week. You'll take a pen and paper, or open up the notes app on your phone or laptop, and do a brain dump of everything you need to get done. Then, once you've identified what you need to do, and you've prioritized each task, write down which day or days of the week you'll work on each task. **[1:08]** For a simple example, your day could look like this. You block off 8am to 10am to work on a long-term project that requires your full attention. 10am to 12pm is reserved for catching up on class or work-related readings. 12pm to 1pm, you've got a lunch and salaah break. 1 to 3pm, you're back at it in class or work calls. **[1:25]** And so on and so forth. Oh, and this goes into the evening as well. You block off time for dinner prep and eating, as well as getting in personal habits, like working out and memorizing Quran. The idea is that you plan out your day beforehand, so that once your day begins, you don't waste time worrying about everything you have to do, **[1:43]** and all of the time it'll take. Think about how often that happens. You've got 101 tasks on your plate, you start your day, but because you don't have anything specific planned, you spend 10, 20, 30 minutes debating which task seems less daunting and which tasks to procrastinate. **[1:59]** And then when you've finally begun, once you've finished one agenda item, rather than have a specific next task ready, well, we do what most people do today. Grab our phones and start scrolling through text or social media. Before we know it, 30 minutes to an hour have gone by, **[2:14]** and you're still unsure as to what you'll get done next. Block scheduling is an extremely effective tool to not only keep you on track of all your tasks, but to also hold you accountable throughout the day. If you've allotted a whole block to getting through a task you've been avoiding, **[2:30]** procrastinating becomes that much harder. And once you're done with your initial goal, you know what exactly you're moving on to without finding excuses to waste time. And while it might be hard and overwhelming for the first few days, weeks, and maybe even months, with time, you'll get the hang of it. **[2:46]** And you'll have saved so much time once you do, it'll be worth all of the effort you put in. What I find most incredible and empowering about block scheduling is that it's inherently built into the life of a Muslim. Praying five times a day throughout the day is one of the key pillars in Islam. **[3:02]** And what Salah does to us in particular is that it makes us very much aware of what we're doing and where we're going to be throughout the day so we can plan accordingly. When I was a full-time student, for example, I always had to think about when I could schedule certain classes like lengthy chem labs **[3:18]** or extracurricular activities to make sure I would have the time and be in a place where I knew I could pray. And as I grew older, I found myself planning my day around Salah. In other words, I was blocking enough time in my day to pray. And soon I slowly began to just plan everything else around those blocks. **[3:37]** Before I knew it, I was an expert block scheduler thanks to Salah. It's incredibly powerful to acknowledge how block scheduling has become a popular tool today, often promoted by self-help gurus or just regular individuals reflecting on their productive habits. **[3:52]** And yet here I am as a Muslim who is programmed at a young age to think of my day in the same manner, to prioritize what is most important in my life. And just like that, my Muslim identity has set me up yet again for success. ## Other Episodes in "Habits to Win Here and Hereafter" - [Ep. 16: Overcoming Procrastination | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep16-overcoming-procrastination-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Ep. 15: How to Sleep Better | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep15-how-to-sleep-better-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Ep. 14: Know the Value of Time | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep14-know-the-value-of-time-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Ep. 13: Take Care of Your Body | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep13-take-care-of-your-body-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Ep 12: Overcoming Setbacks | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep12-overcoming-setbacks-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Ep 11: Nothing Is Going as Planned | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep11-nothing-is-going-as-planned-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Ep 10: Take Advantage of Barakah | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep10-take-advantage-of-barakah-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Ep 9: Getting in The Zone | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep9-getting-in-the-zone-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Ep. 7: Training Your Brain to Focus | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep7-training-your-brain-to-focus-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Ep. 6: How to Start Your Day Right | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep6-how-to-start-your-day-right-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Ep. 5: Forming a Sustainable Habit | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep5-forming-a-sustainable-habit-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Ep. 4: True Productivity | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep4-true-productivity-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Ep. 3: Live Life with No Regrets | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep3-live-life-with-no-regrets-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Ep. 2: What Motivates You? | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep2-what-motivates-you-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Ep. 1: Know Your Purpose | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/ep1-know-your-purpose-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md) - [Trailer | Habits To Win Here and Hereafter](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/habits-to-win/trailer-habits-to-win-here-and-hereafter.md)