There isn't one right way to manage your calendar
As you saw with timeboxing,
your calendar is the central tool of your organization.
But once you start blocking time for yourself, a question shows up quickly:
-> how should you sequence those blocks throughout the day?
The answer mostly depends on one thing:
your ability to stay focused over time.
The zebra calendar
The zebra calendar is a calendar that breathes.
Work moments, whether meetings or timeboxed blocks, are separated by breaks.
Like a zebra's stripes: work, break, work, break.
This kind of calendar is especially well suited if:
- you lose focus quickly
- you need to regularly catch your breath
- your energy fluctuates a lot during the day
Breaks help you recover, breathe, and approach each new block with a decent energy level.
The non-zebra calendar
The non-zebra calendar works the other way around.
Work blocks chain without breaks in between.
Meetings and work sessions stick together back to back.
This kind of calendar is often more suitable if:
- it takes you time to get into focus
- but once you're in, you can stay focused for a long time
- you're trying to stay inside a focus tunnel
In that case, frequent breaks can be counterproductive because they break momentum.
There isn't a good or a bad calendar
The classic mistake is copying someone else's system.
Some swear by regular breaks.
Others prefer long intense blocks.
The only valid criterion is how you actually work, not how you'd like to work.
Adapt your calendar in practice
If you're more of a zebra calendar person:
- intentionally leave empty space
- accept slowing down between tasks
- use breaks to recover, not to cram even more into your day
If you're more of a non-zebra calendar person:
- group your meetings around your work blocks
- avoid "in-between" 30-minute slots
- offer availability that snaps onto existing blocks
For example, when someone asks for your availability for a meeting, proposing a slot right before or right after a work session helps avoid those awkward moments where it's hard to refocus.
Know yourself to organize better
Choosing between zebra and non-zebra calendars isn't theoretical productivity.
It's energy, focus, and personal rhythm.
The more you adapt your calendar to how you work, the less you fight yourself.
And the less you fight yourself, the easier it becomes to move forward on what truly matters.
To go further
This reflection is part of a broader set of methods to take back control of your time:
- protect your time with timeboxing
- prioritize tasks effectively
- say no without guilt
One email a day.
No overload.
Just the essential.