Timeboxing is a simple yet powerful time-management technique for improving productivity. Timeboxing describes the process of proactively scheduling a block of time to spend on a task in the future. It was first described by author James Martin in a book about agile software development.

Understanding timeboxing

Timeboxing should be thought of as attending a meeting with important stakeholders. Indeed, the block of time should not be subject to any last-minute scheduling changes. Nor should there be any sources of distraction in the room while the task is being worked on.

For larger tasks, several blocks of time should be scheduled. But regardless of size, the individual must work on the task for the entirety of the allotted time and then stop working once the time is up. At this point, the individual assesses whether goals, milestones, or deliverables have been hit.

Timeboxing is an effective strategy because it harnesses the motivating power of deadlines. This can be explained by considering the temporal motivation theory. The theory argues that the perceived usefulness or benefit of a task increases exponentially as the deadline for completing that task approaches. 

Importantly, individuals also experience more motivation when they have a higher expectation that the task will be finished. Timeboxing further enhances motivation by helping an individual to schedule their day effectively and avoid procrastination.

How to implement timeboxing

To implement timeboxing into a daily schedule, consider these four steps:

1. Define a timebox for each task. Begin by estimating how long it will take to complete each task on a to-do list. It’s important to be realistic and scheduled time for breaks or unplanned distractions where appropriate. The best tasks for timeboxing include large tasks where motivation is low and smaller tasks where there is a tendency to drag them out and becoming distracted – such as cleaning.
2. Use a timer. If you tend to become lost in your work and lose track of time, a timer can be useful. Timers are strong motivators and they also ensure that other tasks are not neglected.
3. Don’t neglect breaks. It might be tempting to work through lunch or afternoon tea if you are feeling productive and alert. However, this habit hurts productivity in the long run because the brain needs frequent rest for optimum performance.
4. Evaluate. At the end of each timebox, review your progress. How or where did you get distracted? Did you allocate enough time or conversely, not enough time? Use these insights to better allocate your resources next time.

Benefits of timeboxing

Aside from increasing motivation and productivity, timeboxing has several other benefits such as:

• Instilling somewhat mundane but valuable habits into daily life such as mindfulness meditation or the cleaning of a workspace. Both tasks increase mental calm and improve mental and physical health.
• Defining scope on a project timeline. Combined with task dependency Gantt charts, timeboxing can be used in project management to assess the impact of each task on project outcomes.
• Software development. Timeboxing is a vital part of the daily scrum and design sprint seen in agile software development.

Key takeaways

• Timeboxing is a powerful time-management technique that improves productivity.
• Timeboxing harnesses the power of temporal motivation theory by setting realistically achievable timebox deadlines.
• Timeboxing can also help the individual set time aside for meditation or other small tasks which promote an uncluttered mind and increase concentration. The strategy also has a significant role in project scope and agile software development.

Read Next: Agile, Goal-Setting, OKR, SMART Goals.

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