I mentioned in my response to Toleration-Free Zones that I allow some T-FZ interlopers but the come in on my schedule.

“My schedule” means that I adopted your time blocking strategy a couple of months ago. It’s been flexible while I learn what best fits my natural energy and concentration ebbs and flows.

Now that I have a sense of what will best suit my energy and temperament, I’m ready to set it in writing and build it into my case and client management software (which is new and a pretty blank slate).

What I immediately discovered is this: I tend to immediately address what pops into my head. If I realize I haven’t paid a bill, I log onto that vendor’s web site and pay the bill while I’m thinking of it. In addition to the few minutes that takes, as you’ve mentioned and as I also discovered years ago, I need 5 to 10 minutes to find the groove I was in before that bill popped into my head. I’ve lost 15 minutes of optimum concentrated work! Do that four times per work day, and I’ve lost 250 billable hours a year.

So, now that I’m ready to commit to a written chart of my blocked time, I’m going to create a weekly chart to pin over my desk. In each block, I’ll jot the projects for the day or the buzzing thing that popped into my head. I won’t forget to pay the bill, but I won’t have to lose my train of thought either.

This is the year I implement what’s been percolating in my head for the past 36 months. So far, these two ideas — blocking time and toleration-free zone — have been instrumental in organizing personal and business time. Major components in reducing physical and mental clutter!