The whole trick: projects down, days across
Put your projects down one side and the days of the week across the top. Drop hours into the cells where the work will happen. Now the totals do the arguing for you.
- A column that adds up to more hours than the day holds is a problem you can see on Monday, not feel on Thursday
- A project with zero hours all week is either not important or not getting done. Both are worth knowing
- Running totals per person keep "sure, I can take that on" honest
You can't negotiate with a week that's already full. You can only find that out early or late.
Distribute, don't agonise
You don't have to place every hour by hand. Set a block of time for a project across the weekdays and let it spread out, then nudge from there. Planning should take minutes, not a meeting.
Plans change. That's fine.
The goal of a week view isn't a perfect forecast, it's a shared, honest starting point. When something shifts, you move the hours and everyone can see the new shape of the week straight away. That's the difference between planning and hoping.