In this video, I walk you through my block scheduling method to add some structure to a hectic higher ed workweek. The first step is setting up broad, color-coded categories in Outlook so your calendar gives you an instant visual cue about what you’re heading into next. I show how to create categories (double-click a time slot, go to Categorize, then create and color-code what you need), and I share the set of categories I use as a starting point so you can adapt it to your role. Then I build the week in a practical order: start with the meetings that are already “outside of your control” (like departmental meetings), and layer in the routines that keep you productive and sane. I schedule short daily professional development in the morning (think: coffee/tea while your mind catches up with your body), dedicated email blocks so you’re not living in your inbox, and focused project time during the 10 a.m.–noon window when many of us do our best deep work. I also protect lunch, add a 30-minute end-of-day wrap-up/cleanup, and reserve time at the end of the week to write an action plan for the next one. Finally, I show how to place one-on-ones strategically (and block “post-meeting tasks” right after) so your calendar supports follow-through—not just meetings.