Framework For Skyrocketing Consistency: The Four Quarters Method

I wish I knew this cheat code sooner…

It’s called The Four Quarters Method (courtesy of Gretchen Rubin). Once you learn it, you might find yourself wondering if it could skyrocket your consistency too.

In the past, whenever I hit a snag in my day, I’d think: “Well, there's always tomorrow to try again.” It’s how watching one or two YouTube shorts spirals into an hour or two of mindless scrolling—or how not planning my meals could turn into an unplanned cheat day. Whoops.

Sound familiar?

But as Rubin points out..what if instead, you viewed your life like a game—with four daily quarters?

The Four Quarters Method

Most people only play 1-2 solid quarters a day. They "quit" or slack off when things don’t go exactly as planned. But what if we flipped that? Imagine pushing your daily total to 3-4 well-lived quarters. You’d close the gap between where you are and where you want to be—physically, financially, emotionally, and more—much faster.

Here’s how to execute The Four Quarters Method:

Step 1: Assuming you get 8 hours of sleep, you have 16 waking hours each day. So divide those 16 hours into quarters.

For example, if you wake up at 6 a.m. like me, here’s how that looks:

• Quarter 1 (Morning): 6 a.m. - 10 a.m.
• Quarter 2 (Midday): 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
• Quarter 3 (Afternoon): 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.
• Quarter 4 (Evening): 6 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Step 2: Consider what you’d like to do in your quarters.

Potential Ideas:

• Q1: Morning routine, deep work session
• Q2: Healthy lunch, maintenance tasks, exercise
• Q3: Meetings, admin tasks
• Q4: Quality time with family, self-care

Everyone’s situation is different, but what's important is to be intentional with your time.

How I Plan to Implement This

I read about this in Gretchen Rubin’s book Better Than Before over the Christmas break, and I’m excited to see how it works for me this year. Here’s how I’m planning to implement it:

• Quarter 1: Morning routine, focused work session, hydrate, caffeinate, a walk outside
• Quarter 2: Eat a healthy lunch, client programming, get some movement (I’m aiming for more rucking and lifting)
• Quarter 3: Catch up on admin, work through the to-do list, client meetings
• Quarter 4: Wind down with family dinner, read, journal, plan the next day, wind down for sleep

A key part of my plan is that I work from home on my business most days, and two days a week, I’m in a clinical setting. But that doesn’t mean I can’t set intentions for those days too. Whether I’m at home or at work, I can still be intentional with my time in each quarter.

When I’m working from home, I focus on my business tasks—deep work, client meetings, content creation. On the days I’m in the clinical setting, I focus on staying energized, hydrating well, and using brief moments during breaks to reset or take a breath. Even if I can’t control the flow of those days entirely, I still have control over my responses and how I prioritize my time.

It’s about creating a rhythm that fits wherever I am—whether at home, work, or somewhere in between.

Bringing It Home

2025 is already in full swing, and I’m carrying lessons from 2024 with me. Last year, small habits—like staying hydrated, getting outside for daily walks, finding my caffeine window, and reading a few pages consistently—gave me the biggest ROI. Even when things didn’t go as planned, those small wins kept me on track.

As I move into 2025, I’m excited to incorporate the Four Quarters Method to take my consistency and focus to the next level. It’s not about perfection—it’s about showing up in each quarter and doing my best.

I encourage you to give the Four Quarters Method a try. Break your day into quarters, set your intentions, and focus on consistency over perfection. If you do, awesome! I’ll be figuring it out right alongside you. This year, we’re done with “Screw it, I’ll try again tomorrow.” With this framework, there’s always another quarter waiting for you to succeed.