Ever feel like one chaotic morning has completely derailed your entire day? Instead of feeling defeated, give the Four Quarters Method a shot. It’s a simple psychological reset that breaks your day into manageable segments, giving you multiple fresh starts instead of just one chance to get it right.
We’ve all felt the weight of a long “to-do” list that feels heavy before the day even starts. Between continuous pings, the mid-afternoon energy slump, and the distractions that derail even our best-laid plans, it’s easy to feel like you’re constantly playing catch-up.
When a morning meeting runs long or a 3:00 PM brain fog hits, most of us fall into the overwhelm trap. We decide the day is a wash and promise to be “on it” tomorrow.
But your work day shouldn’t be held hostage by a bad morning. While there are a million hacks to “win the day,” one technique from Gretchen Rubin stands out for its simplicity and psychological power: The Four Quarters Method.
The Framework
Instead of viewing your day as one 16-hour marathon, Rubin suggests breaking it into four manageable “mini-days.” This allows you to align your tasks with your natural energy ebbs and flows.
Assuming an 8-hour sleep cycle, here is how you can divide your 16 waking hours:
| Quarter | Time Block | Typical Focus |
| Q1: Morning | 6am – 10am | Deep Work: Strategic thinking and high-leverage tasks. |
| Q2: Midday | 10am – 2pm | Collaboration: Meetings, calls, and core execution. |
| Q3: Afternoon | 2pm – 6pm | Admin: Low-energy tasks (the “3pm slump” recovery). |
| Q4: Evening | 6pm – 10pm | Recharge: Personal growth, family, and rest. |
Why This Works
The beauty of this system is that it builds resilience.
When you view your day as a single unit, one mistake ruins the whole thing. But when you view it in quarters, a “bad” morning (Q1) doesn’t have to impact your midday (Q2). You get three “reset buttons” every single day.
If you hit that 3:00 PM slump and realize you still haven’t tackled a key priority on your list, you don’t have to throw in the towel. You simply wait for the next quarter to start and “kick off” fresh.
“Instead of feeling that you’ve blown the day and thinking, ‘I’ll get back on track tomorrow,’ try thinking of each day as a set of four quarters: morning, midday, afternoon, evening. If you blow one quarter, you get back on track for the next quarter.” Gretchen Rubin, Better Than Before
Strategies for Implementation
To make this stick at the office (or the home office), try these two rules:
- Respect the Slump: Try not to schedule a high-stakes creative brainstorm for Quarter 3. Use that time for the “brainless” admin tasks that still need to get done. Think expense reports, booking travel etc. Match the task to the quarter’s energy.
- The “Never Miss Twice” Rule: Borrowed from James Clear, this is the perfect companion to Rubin’s method. If you had a chaotic Q2, make it a point of pride to win Q3. A comeback in the second half is often more satisfying than a perfect start.
Another reframe is to think of the day like a game with a scoreboard. Even if you lose the first two quarters, you can still win the game in the second half. I’m sure this will resonate with sports fans 😉
The next time your day gets derailed, don’t wait for the sun to go down to try again. Look at the clock, wait for the next quarter, and make the most of the remaining time with intention. Have any other great productivity hacks? Let’s hear them in the comments below.
Thanks for reading and sharing. xx
It’s the nature of life and business that there is going to be something that derails the perfect schedule. But I have faithfully been a big believer in not having a task list. Instead, I make appointments, and if something shifts, immediately review my appointments and re-prioritize based upon whether something is mission, critical or deadline driven. I then briefly revisit the other things on my list to determine if they should be delegated or rescheduled. And then move on. I really need that because I can be consumed by just the distractions of my own thoughts. It is a blessing being a creative! … As you know.