Planning Isn’t Optional—Why Time Blockers Outperform Hard Workers Every Time

Frank Bettger was no stranger to scrambling—he often found himself making last-minute calls, missing opportunities, and feeling drained by the end of every week. But everything changed when he committed to a strict weekly planning block—a practice he learned both from his own trial and error and by studying the routines of top business professionals.

Over time, Saturday mornings became sacred: hours spent digging through records, mapping out the week ahead, and preparing every interaction or proposal. Instead of feeling trapped by a rigid schedule, Frank noticed he had far more energy, and actually finished weeks feeling excited for what came next. Friends and colleagues, at first doubtful, were often amazed by his new peace of mind and the way he protected his planning time, even turning down meetings with top executives if they conflicted.

The behavioral principle here is “implementation intention”—by turning planning from an afterthought to a fixed habit, you dramatically boost “executive control,” or your ability to execute what matters most. High performers in any field, from authors to CEOs, use this approach to keep their big rocks (as planners call them) firmly in place, rather than getting lost in busywork or firefighting that leads nowhere.

Pick a day this week—whatever works best—and block off a few hours solely for planning, reflection, and preparation. List what needs to get done each day, what you must prepare, and how you’ll schedule your most important actions. Guard this time the way you’d guard a vital appointment—turn down last-minute requests, silence notifications, and make this the one nonnegotiable event you always keep. After a couple of weeks, see how your stress levels, confidence, and results change. Make your schedule before your schedule makes you.