| Sample Task | Minutes | Demand | Priority | Suggested Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Write report draft | 90 | High | 5 | Peak energy |
| Project planning | 60 | Medium | 4 | Steady energy |
| Email triage | 30 | Low | 3 | Low energy |
| Admin paperwork | 45 | Low | 2 | Low or Normal |
| Review notes | 30 | Medium | 3 | Steady or Normal |
The planner builds time blocks across your day window, labels each block by energy, and then places tasks by priority and energy demand.
- Blocks: Blocks = (DayEnd − DayStart) ÷ BlockSize
- Task blocks needed: Need = ceil(TaskMinutes ÷ BlockSize)
- Buffer minutes: Buffer = AvailableMinutes − PlannedMinutes
- Energy‑task match score: Score% = (Σ(weight × blockMinutes) ÷ Σ(blockMinutes)) × 100
Weights reflect how well a task’s demand fits the block’s energy: perfect, adjacent, and mismatch. You can customize these weights to fit your working style.
- Set your day start and end times to define availability.
- Choose a block size that matches your attention span.
- Mark your peak, steady, and low energy windows.
- Add tasks with minutes, demand level, and priority.
- Press Submit to generate a schedule above the form.
- Download CSV or PDF to keep the plan accessible.
Energy windows create planning constraints
Your calendar has hours, but your brain has capacity. By defining Peak, Steady, and Low windows, you turn a vague day into measurable slots. For example, an 08:00–18:00 day with 30-minute blocks creates 20 planning blocks. If your Peak window is 09:00–11:30, you get five Peak blocks, enough for two 60-minute deep tasks plus a short transition. This structure reduces overbooking and makes trade-offs visible.
Demand levels prioritize cognitive load
Each task is labeled High, Medium, or Low demand so the planner can reserve Peak blocks for the hardest work. High demand suits analysis, writing, coding, or exams; Medium demand fits meetings, outlining, and reviews; Low demand covers admin, email, and errands. Priority (1–5) breaks ties, so a priority-5 High task is placed before a priority-3 High task. This simple scoring prevents “easy wins” from consuming premium focus time.
Match Score quantifies fit
The Match Score is a percentage that summarizes how well your placed tasks align with your energy pattern. Every scheduled block earns a weight: perfect match, adjacent match, or mismatch. With defaults of 1.0, 0.6, and 0.2, a day where 240 minutes land perfectly and 120 minutes land adjacent yields (240×1.0 + 120×0.6) ÷ 360 = 86.7%. Use the score to compare two plans quickly, not to chase perfection.
Buffer targets protect delivery
Plans fail in the gaps: context switching, interruptions, and overruns. The buffer target sets a minimum slack amount, and the planner warns when buffer is too low. A practical range is 10–20% of available time. In a 600-minute day, that is 60–120 minutes of buffer. Put buffer next to meetings, before deadlines, or after High demand blocks to help recovery. If buffer drops below target, reduce tasks or widen the day window.
Exports enable review loops
Exporting the schedule keeps execution friction low. CSV works well for spreadsheets, time-tracking tools, and team sharing. PDF is useful for printing, daily briefings, or a phone-friendly snapshot. After the day ends, compare planned minutes versus what actually happened, then adjust your energy windows by 15–30 minutes if patterns shift. Over a week, this feedback loop improves accuracy and raises the Match Score.
FAQs
1) What block size works best?
Choose a block size that matches how long you can stay focused. Many people start with 30 minutes, then switch to 15 for fast-moving days or 60 for deep work. Smaller blocks give flexibility; larger blocks reduce fragmentation.
2) What if my energy windows overlap?
Keep windows non-overlapping so the planner can label blocks clearly. If two windows clash, shorten one or shift start times by 15–30 minutes. When unsure, keep Peak narrow and let Steady cover the remaining productive time.
3) Can I schedule breaks and meals?
Yes. Add a task like “Lunch” or “Break” with Low demand and a high priority if it is non-negotiable. The planner will reserve time blocks for it, which also protects your buffer from being consumed by work tasks.
4) Why do I see Normal energy blocks?
Normal appears when a time block is outside your Peak, Steady, and Low windows. It acts as neutral capacity for mixed work. If you prefer fewer Normal blocks, expand your energy windows to cover more of the day.
5) How does priority affect placement?
Tasks are placed from priority 5 down to 1. Within the same priority, higher demand tasks and longer durations are placed first. This approach ensures your most important, cognitively heavy work claims the best available energy blocks.
6) How can I raise the Match Score?
Split large tasks into smaller parts, tighten your Peak window around true focus time, and move meetings into Steady blocks. Increase buffer so High tasks avoid late-day spillover. Re-run the plan until the score improves without losing realism.