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Zero-Based Weekly Calendar

Empty next week's calendar entirely, then add back only what truly deserves a slot.

40 min Advanced

Goal

Break the inertia making recurring meetings "earned rights", to re-evaluate every hour.

Steps

  1. 1
    List every recurring item in your calendar (meetings, calls, ...).
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Expected Outcome

Immediate
3-7 hours leave your next week's calendar.

Evidence base

School: Zero-Based Budgeting Applied to Time

Founders: Peter Pyhrr · Cal Newport (2016)

Pyhrr coined ZBB at TI (1970); Newport applied it to time in "Deep Work" (2016).

Keywords

Frequently asked questions

How long does "Zero-Based Weekly Calendar" take?
This exercise takes about 40 minutes, practiced solo in a Action format.
When will I notice the effect of "Zero-Based Weekly Calendar"?
3-7 hours leave your next week's calendar. In the short term: In a month, your week has fewer meetings and more shipping.
Is "Zero-Based Weekly Calendar" evidence-based?
Yes — it draws on Zero-Based Budgeting Applied to Time (Peter Pyhrr, Cal Newport (2016)). Pyhrr coined ZBB at TI (1970); Newport applied it to time in "Deep Work" (2016).
Is "Zero-Based Weekly Calendar" suitable for beginners?
Its difficulty level is: Advanced. No external tools required — it can be practiced directly inside the app.

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