Schedule events in WordPress

schedule_event.php

<?php
/* SCHEDULE AN EVENT TO RUN EVERY HOUR */
/* 
When you schedule an event in a plugin, 
call wp_schedule_event on plugin activation otherwise you will end up with a lot of scheduled events. 
*/
register_activation_hook(__FILE__, 'my_plugin_activation');
function my_plugin_activation() {
	wp_schedule_event( time(), 'hourly', 'my_hourly_event_action');
}
/* Remove the scheduled event on plugin deactivation */
register_deactivation_hook( __FILE__, 'my_plugin_deactivation' );
function my_plugin_deactivation() {
	wp_clear_scheduled_hook( 'my_hourly_event_action' );
}
/* Adding the actual action */
add_action( 'my_hourly_event_action', 'my_hourly_event_do_this' );
function my_hourly_event_do_this() {
  	// Do cool stuff here
}
/* 
REGISTER CUSTOM SCHEDULES 
  The default ones are
  - hourly
  - twicedaily
  - daily
*/
add_filter( 'cron_schedules', 'add_my_schedules' );
function add_my_schedules( $schedules ) {
   // Adds once every minute to the existing schedules.
 	$schedules['every_minute'] = array(
 		'interval' => 60,
 		'display' => __( 'Every Minute' )
 	);
   
 	return $schedules;
}