A method for operating an autonomous machine comprising: receiving a user input that indicates one or more windows of availability when the autonomous machine is allowed to operate to perform two or more operational tasks (512, 514, 516, 518) the windows of availability being determined over a time period, wherein each of the two or more operational tasks is associated with a containment zone (333, 337, 338, CZ1, CZ2, CZ3) comprising only a portion of a work region; characterised by performing via a scheduling controller of the autonomous machine: determining a recommended total operation time over the time period, the recommended total operation time being divided into recommended operation times for the containment zones; and determining an operating schedule for the work region that assigns two or more operational tasks of said two or more operational tasks to the one or more windows of availability based the recommended total operation time, wherein determining the operating schedule is further based on a user input that indicates a desired total operation time that is greater than or less than the recommended total operation time, wherein each recommended operation time is scaled accordingly to provide a modified operation time based on the user input such that the modified operation times for the containment zones add up to the desired total operation time. receiving a user input that indicates one or more windows of availability when the autonomous machine is allowed to operate to perform two or more operational tasks (512, 514, 516, 518) the windows of availability being determined over a time period, wherein each of the two or more operational tasks is associated with a containment zone (333, 337, 338, CZ1, CZ2, CZ3) comprising only a portion of a work region; characterised by performing via a scheduling controller of the autonomous machine: determining a recommended total operation time over the time period, the recommended total operation time being divided into recommended operation times for the containment zones; and determining an operating schedule for the work region that assigns two or more operational tasks of said two or more operational tasks to the one or more windows of availability based the recommended total operation time, wherein determining the operating schedule is further based on a user input that indicates a desired total operation time that is greater than or less than the recommended total operation time, wherein each recommended operation time is scaled accordingly to provide a modified operation time based on the user input such that the modified operation times for the containment zones add up to the desired total operation time. determining a recommended total operation time over the time period, the recommended total operation time being divided into recommended operation times for the containment zones; and determining an operating schedule for the work region that assigns two or more operational tasks of said two or more operational tasks to the one or more windows of availability based the recommended total operation time, wherein determining the operating schedule is further based on a user input that indicates a desired total operation time that is greater than or less than the recommended total operation time, wherein each recommended operation time is scaled accordingly to provide a modified operation time based on the user input such that the modified operation times for the containment zones add up to the desired total operation time.