High Energy Task Planner Calculator

Turn energy highs into your deepest work blocks. Protect mornings, and automate smart break timing. See your plan instantly, then export and start confidently.

Planner inputs

Use energy windows and task scoring to shape a realistic day plan.

Used for display only.
Example: 09:00
Example: 18:00
Shifts the baseline energy curve earlier or later.
High-energy window for deep work.
End time for the first peak window.
Optional second high-focus window.
End time for the second peak window.
Smaller values allow finer placement.
Helps reduce excessive fragmentation.
Example: break after 75 minutes.
Short breaks maintain stamina.
Adds slack for overruns and surprises.
Higher values reduce late-day energy faster.
How strongly your peak windows raise energy.
Discourages too many task boundaries.

Tasks

Add up to 10 tasks. Higher energy means “needs high focus.” Deadlines are optional.

Task 1

Leave blank if flexible.
Meetings and admin tolerate lower energy.
Clears this row only.

Task 2

Leave blank if flexible.
Meetings and admin tolerate lower energy.
Clears this row only.

Task 3

Leave blank if flexible.
Meetings and admin tolerate lower energy.
Clears this row only.

Task 4

Leave blank if flexible.
Meetings and admin tolerate lower energy.
Clears this row only.

Task 5

Leave blank if flexible.
Meetings and admin tolerate lower energy.
Clears this row only.

Task 6

Leave blank if flexible.
Meetings and admin tolerate lower energy.
Clears this row only.
After submission, your schedule appears above this form. Export buttons will download the latest generated plan.

Example data table

Use this as a reference for realistic durations and energy needs.

Task Duration Priority Energy needed Type Deadline
Write proposal draft 90 min 5 5 Deep Work 12:00
Design review notes 45 min 4 4 Creative 16:30
Email triage 30 min 3 2 Admin
Team check-in 30 min 3 2 Meeting
Learning session 60 min 2 3 Learning

Formula used

1) Task scoring

Each task receives a planning score so important work is scheduled first:

TaskScore = 2·Priority + 1.4·Urgency + 1·EnergyNeeded

2) Slot energy model

Every time slot gets an estimated energy value (1–5) based on chronotype, your peak windows, and fatigue over time:

SlotEnergy = clamp( Baseline(chronotype, t) + PeakBoost(window) − FatigueRate·HoursSinceStart , 1, 5 )

3) Best-fit placement

The planner searches for a free start time that maximizes fit between a task’s energy need and the slot’s average energy, while softly penalizing mismatches and excessive switching.

How to use this calculator

  1. Set your workday start and end times.
  2. Choose your chronotype and define one or two peak energy windows.
  3. Adjust break timing, buffer percent, and fatigue settings if needed.
  4. Add tasks with duration, priority, energy needed, and optional deadlines.
  5. Click Generate plan to see the schedule below the header.
  6. Use Download CSV or Download PDF to export.

Tip: If tasks do not fit, reduce durations, widen your workday, or lower buffer and break settings.

Energy mapping and cognitive load

This planner turns your day into 15‑minute slots and assigns each slot an estimated energy value from 1 to 5. A chronotype shift moves the curve earlier or later, while two peak windows add a controlled boost. Fatigue then subtracts energy as hours pass, preventing unrealistic late‑day deep work. Use the energy needed field to separate true focus work from routine execution, so your best hours stay protected.

Priority and urgency weighting

Tasks are ranked using a weighted score that favors impact first, then time pressure. Priority is doubled, urgency rises as the deadline approaches, and energy need keeps demanding work inside strong windows. This method helps a 90‑minute draft outrank a 30‑minute email sweep when both compete. If two tasks tie, increase the one with higher consequence or earlier external dependency.

Break cadence and recovery

Long focus blocks are split into segments, inserting short breaks after a configurable threshold such as 75 minutes. Breaks protect working memory, lower error rates, and reduce the temptation to switch tasks midstream. If your calendar is meeting‑heavy, shorten focus thresholds and keep breaks brief but consistent. A practical default is 10 minutes of recovery for each 60 to 90 minutes of sustained concentration.

Buffering and schedule realism

A buffer percentage reserves slack for overruns, handoffs, and quick admin. Ten percent often works for predictable work, while fifteen to twenty percent suits volatile support days. Watch utilization: when planned minutes exceed ninety percent of capacity, even small interruptions cascade into missed deadlines. Treat buffer time as a protected block, not as “free time,” and you will finish more tasks on time.

Exporting and continuous improvement

After generating a plan, export it to CSV for tracking or PDF for quick sharing. Compare planned versus actual completion times and adjust durations next week. Over time, you can tune fatigue rate, peak boosts, and break cadence so the schedule matches your real performance, not wishful estimates. A monthly review of completion rates by task type reveals where meetings, admin, or learning are stealing peak energy. Log one reason for each miss, then refine deadlines, break timing, and buffer percentages with evidence weekly.

FAQs

What does “Energy needed” control?

It tells the planner how much focus the task requires. Use 4–5 for writing, analysis, or problem solving. Use 1–3 for routine work like email, admin, or short check‑ins, so demanding tasks land inside stronger energy windows.

How should I pick my peak windows?

Choose periods when you consistently feel alert and productive. Start with two blocks, such as mid‑morning and mid‑afternoon, then adjust based on completion quality. Keep windows realistic; overly long peaks reduce placement accuracy for the rest of the day.

Why are some tasks marked unscheduled?

The total required time may exceed your available workday after breaks and buffer time. Long durations, tight deadlines, and high energy requirements also reduce feasible slots. Reduce durations, widen the day, or lower break and buffer settings to fit more work.

What is a good fatigue rate setting?

Use the default as a baseline and change it based on how quickly focus drops. If afternoons feel harder, raise the value slightly. If you stay sharp late, lower it. Small changes, like 0.03, can noticeably shift late‑day placements.

How does task type affect placement?

Task type adds a small adjustment so meetings and admin can use lower‑energy periods without harming deep work. Deep Work and Creative tasks benefit most from peak windows. Learning works well in moderate energy slots, especially when paired with shorter breaks.

How do I use the CSV and PDF exports?

Use CSV to track planned versus actual time and compute completion rates per task type. Use PDF to share a daily plan with stakeholders or to keep a printout nearby. Export again after edits so the files always match the latest plan.

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Important Note: All the Calculators listed in this site are for educational purpose only and we do not guarentee the accuracy of results. Please do consult with other sources as well.