TimeAlign allows you to create color categories to represent different aspects of your life. Each category will have a single color and may contain multiple activities. Categories can be mapped to existing colors in your Google and Apple Calendar.
Time management varies for each person, so we’ve designed TimeAlign to be flexible. We’ll start you off with some popular categories and you can edit them to fit your individual needs.
Although you can categorize your time however you want, here are a few of our recommended templates from beginner to advanced.
The simplest category setup includes only 3 basic domains: you, relationships, and work. This approach is described by Nir Eyal in his book Indistractable.
You, relationships, and work. These three domains outline where we spend our time. They give us a way to think about how we plan our day so that we can become an authentic reflection of the people we want to be. In order to live our values in each of these domains, we must reserve time in our schedule to do so. Only by setting aside specific time in our schedules for traction, the actions that draw us towards what we want in life, can we turn our backs on distraction. ― Nir Eyal, Indistractable
If you aren’t experienced with time management or schedule categorization, this might be the best place for you to start. You can decide what fits into each of these 3 categories and define it within the TimeAlign category details. You can also get more granular within each category by creating specific activities to track. Here is an overview of what each category means:
This includes any activity that you do for yourself or by yourself outside of your job. It may include exercise, sleep, cooking + eating, planning, reading, writing, hobbies, and single player games.
This includes any activity where you are spending time with other or your intention is to strengthen relationships outside of your job. It may include quality time with loved ones, family dinners, lunch with a friend, a phone call to your mom, and playing games with friends.
This includes any activity that you need to do for your job. This may include work tasks, time “on the clock”, or anything that you are getting paid to do.
Our next template is the 5 Pillars approach. The 5 pillars expands a bit on You, Relationships, and Work by further defining these 3 categories and adding a couple new ones. Again, this template is only a starting point, so you should edit these domains as you see fit.