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The Four Quarters Technique

The 4 quarters day technique

We’ve been thinking about days all wrong.

Most of us view our waking hours as a single entity, a day, that either goes well or poorly.

For me, one overlong breakfast meeting would cascade into a missed workout, which would turn into skipped work and takeout for dinner instead of cooking. By evening, I’d surrender completely, promising to restart fresh the next day.

Tomorrow became my favorite day of the week.

This black-and-white thinking ended when I read Gretchen Rubin’s suggestion to divide my days into four equal parts. She suggested viewing each day not as one 16-hour block but as four separate chunks. If morning goes poorly, afternoon remains untouched, ready for success.

The secret to better days isn’t better planning—it’s better recoveries.

The four quarters technique

Split your day into four blocks to stay productive when plans fall apart

Do you give up on your entire day after a morning meeting runs long or an unexpected call throws off your schedule? Many of us write off the whole day when our plans get derailed, telling ourselves, “I’ll start fresh tomorrow.”

The Four Quarters Technique stops this all-or-nothing thinking by breaking your day into manageable chunks with built-in reset points.

What is the four quarters technique?

Bestselling author Gretchen Rubin created this method based on a simple idea: split your waking hours into four equal segments. As she explains in her book Better Than Before:

“Instead of feeling 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.”

This approach gives you multiple fresh starts throughout the day, rather than waiting for tomorrow to begin again.

How to set up your four quarters

  1. Map out your waking hours
    Count the total hours you’re awake and divide by four. For example, if you’re awake from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. (16 hours), each quarter equals 4 hours.
  2. Define your quarters
    Based on a 6 am – 10 pm schedule:
    – Quarter 1: 6 am to 10 am
    – Quarter 2: 10 am to 2 pm
    – Quarter 3: 2 pm to 6 pm
    – Quarter 4: 6 pm to 10 pm
  3. Assign core activities to each quarter
    Match activities to your natural energy levels and existing commitments:
    – Quarter 1: Morning routine, deep focused work
    – Quarter 2: Meetings, workout, lunch
    – Quarter 3: Administrative tasks, project work
    – Quarter 4: Family time, dinner, wind-down routine

Why this works

The Four Quarters Technique works because it:

  • Creates mental reset points
    When one quarter goes off track, you have a clean slate in just a few hours.
  • Matches work to energy levels
    Plan demanding tasks during your high-energy quarters and lighter work during low-energy periods.
  • Builds in flexibility
    Life happens. This system expects and accounts for disruptions.
  • Makes progress visible
    You see what you accomplish in each quarter rather than feeling like you wasted an entire day.

Real-life applications

For remote workers:

  • Quarter 1: Deep work before the team comes online
  • Quarter 2: Meetings and collaboration
  • Quarter 3: Follow-up tasks and planning
  • Quarter 4: Personal projects and family time

For parents:

  • Quarter 1: Personal time before kids wake up
  • Quarter 2: Work while kids are at school
  • Quarter 3: Family activities and dinner
  • Quarter 4: Kids’ bedtime and adult relaxation

For students:

  • Quarter 1: Morning classes
  • Quarter 2: Study and assignments
  • Quarter 3: Club activities or part-time work
  • Quarter 4: Review and prepare for the next day

Extra tips

  • Start small: Begin with just defining your quarters clearly before assigning specific activities.
  • Track results: Notice which quarters consistently go as planned and which need adjustment.
  • Buffer time: Leave 15-30 minutes of flex time in each quarter for unexpected events.
  • Weekly review: Look back at your quarters each week to spot patterns and make adjustments.
  • Find your ideal quarter count: Some people work better with three larger segments or five smaller ones. Adjust to what fits your life.

Bottom line

The Four Quarters Technique brings structure without rigidity. When things go wrong, and they will, you’re only hours away from your next fresh start. This balance of organization and forgiveness makes sustainable productivity possible.

Try this approach for one week. When you miss a target in one quarter, consciously reset for the next instead of writing off your day. Your productivity and peace of mind will grow.

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