Time Blocking Basics: Admin Blocks

Admin work is anything that supports the deep work, but isn’t the deep work itself.

And it looks different for everyone, depending on your personal circumstances. It might involve answering emails, catching up on phone calls, digital/paper filing, proofreading, or general organization. 

Admin organization tasks can also include things like: cleaning up brushes, scrubbing code,  formatting documents, or bookkeeping.

It may not be exactly the type of stuff you want to be doing, but what we can agree on is that admin work is necessary. If you don’t do it, it tends to catch up with you.

How to Use Admin Blocks in Momentum 

You can easily use Momentum to set up admin blocks, with tasks that usually take around 30 to 60 minutes of your time. In the task list, make sure to denote these as “admin.” 

Some basic examples beyond the ones mentioned above could include paying bills, invoicing for clients, cleaning your house, scheduling appointments or doctor’s office visits, or doing laundry. 

Pro tip: use color coding 🌈so you can scan your task list and easily see what admin tasks you have for the day!

If you want to get the basics of setting up admin blocks in the app, head to the Daily Planner. 

(You can get there by clicking “Today” at the top of the screen, or the highlighted date.) 

Once in the Daily Planner view, you’ll find “Today’s Tasks” where you can add specific tasks, but also where you can set up time blocks.

You can add a specific category of admin task you plan on doing for a 30-60 min period: 

You have the option to decide whether the task is “Emergent” (meaning that it’s come up out of the blue). Or you can also attach it to a larger project chunk. 

Most importantly, if you hit “+ Add to Schedule” and create a time period, that’s how you can make a time block. 

Then, bingo, you’ll see it show up on “Today’s Schedule” in the same view: 

Keeping Admin Blocks “On Task"

Keep in mind, there are times when you’re working on an admin block, and it starts to morph into a focus block. 

For example, cleaning out your closet that hasn’t been organized in a few years, may require a focus block, not an admin hour block. 

But going through that one box of knick knacks you’ve kept since high school, to determine what needs to be kept, tossed or donated, can be a 15 minute Admin task.

A lot of resistance around admin blocks — even when it comes to something that ought to be simple, like calling your insurance company — comes out of fear that the task will end up taking more time and concentration than the capacity we have available. 

That’s natural. 

But allotting the time needed is necessary, and ultimately, helpful to reaching your goals overall. If you stick to the admin tasks in the time block, progress will be made. 

Many folks find that once they master focus blocking, their admin blocks are far more tolerable and sometimes even enjoyable. 

Here are some reasons admin blocks can be fun: 

2. It’s time when you can reflect on the work you’ve set out for yourself. 
3. You can create space and context for things to gel. 
4. Knowing there’s a time for admin lets you stress less about all the work of that variety you have to do. There’s a time and a space for everything.

You can go with the flow for the task at hand – but progress starts in the small steps of minutes and hours, where your attention will get your projects to done.