Find the Time to Walk Out the Door
Leave-by time = arrival time − travel − parking or walking in − buffer. Preparation comes before that. Keeping the two separate makes it easier to see both when to leave and when to start getting ready.
In Reverse Scheduler, make your arrival the Primary Event. Add the steps immediately before it under Preceding Events, starting with the one closest to arrival. Enter your own travel estimate; RS does not look up routes or traffic.
A 10:00 AM Appointment, Worked Backward
Suppose the journey takes 35 minutes. You also want 10 minutes to park and walk in, plus 10 minutes of spare time. That makes your planned departure 9:05 AM.
| Start | Step | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 8:45 AM | Get ready | 20 min |
| 9:05 AM | Travel | 35 min |
| 9:40 AM | Park and walk in | 10 min |
| 9:50 AM | Spare time | 10 min |
| 10:00 AM | Appointment | Primary event |
Enter the preceding rows as Spare time, Park and walk in, Travel, then Get ready. The start of Travel is when you leave; the start of Get ready is when preparation begins. In this example you begin at 8:45 AM, even though you do not leave until 9:05.
Choose What “Arrive” Really Means
Reaching the car park and being ready for an appointment are different moments. If you need to be seated at 10:00, include the walk, reception desk and anything else between the street and your seat. If you simply need to be at the front door, use that as the finish.
- Driving: allow for finding a space and walking from it.
- Public transport: include getting to the stop and any waiting or transfers in your estimates.
- Walking or cycling: include locking up, changing shoes or finding the entrance if those apply.
Use a Buffer You Can Explain
A buffer is time you choose to leave unassigned. Give it its own row so you can see it, instead of quietly hiding it inside every estimate. Ten minutes is just the example here, not a recommendation for every journey. An unfamiliar trip may need a different allowance from a familiar one.
Check your route separately before setting its duration. If the estimate changes from 35 to 50 minutes, update Travel: the planner moves your departure and earlier preparation back by 15 minutes.
What If I Already Know When I Must Leave?
Set “Leave home” as the Primary Event and add only the things that come before it. That is useful when you have a fixed lift, bus or meeting point. Our getting-ready guide walks through planning the preparation itself.
Will RS Remind Me to Leave?
RS calculates a schedule; it does not monitor traffic, track your location or run a departure alarm. With alpha access, you can save the steps to Google Calendar. Review those events and set any notifications you want in Google Calendar.