Effective at Time-Boxing

I recently revisited this article with a curated list of the "Definitive 100 Most Useful Productivity Tips", and I agree almost entirely with it. I have talked about some of these topics before (saying no, prioritizing, etc.), but in the upcoming weeks I will try to give my take on at least the top 10. It is no surprise that "time boxing" tops the list, so this will be the focus of today.

The Theory

Timeboxing involves dedicating fixed periods of time to single tasks. It originated in 1991 from the Agile software development book Rapid Application Development (a software development technique now part of the Agile family), where time is divided into sprints. Timeboxing enhances focus by minimizing distractions and dedicating specific slots to tasks (no wonder it became so popular for personal development).

Timeboxing's key benefits are combating Parkinson's Law and promoting single-tasking. Parkinson's Law states that "work expands to fill the time available for its completion." By assigning strict time limits, work is completed more efficiently. Timeboxing also breaks large projects into manageable chunks, reducing overwhelm and providing a sense of accomplishment. [side note: I cringe every time I hear someone say that they are "good multitaskers." There are very rare occasions when it is good to multitask; work isn't one of them].

The "Planning Fallacy" is the great challenge timeboxing faces. We have a tendency to underestimate task completion times. We often fail to account for unexpected interruptions or our natural cycles, which don't allow us to work steadily for 8 hours straight.

My personal thoughts

You need to understand what works for you. I've tried The Pomodoro Technique over many other frameworks, but found 45-minute work blocks with 5-minute breaks suit me best. Constantly try new approaches, reflect, and iterate.

Task batching is a good complement to timeboxing. We all have busy lives, and I personally tend to push aside the things that are easy and take a really short time, until they are urgent and so I do them quickly. Now, I complement timeboxing with task batching for quick tasks like scheduling appointments or expense reports. Grouping these during lower-energy periods provides a gratifying sense of accomplishment.

How to put this into practice

Cal Newport recommends aiming for 3-4 hours of uninterrupted daily work. My recommendation is to start with 90min and then double once you are ready. Here's how to get started:

1. Identify Your Daily Highlight: As suggested in "Make Time," choose one critical task to prioritize every workday, and focus your 90 minutes on it. Do this early in the morning or the night before.

2. Schedule the Time Block: Allocate a specific 90-minute window that matches your peak energy level (according to your chronotype). This is at 10-11:30am for the majority of us. Other options are early morning (for early birds) or later at night (for the night owls).

3. Eliminate Distractions: During your time block, turn off notifications, close unnecessary tabs, and inform peers that you are unavailable.

4. Use a Timer: I use this simple timer with two blocks of 45 minutes (separated by a 5-minute break). Seeing time running out motivates me to refocus when distracted.

5. Review and Adjust: Evaluate your progress afterwards. If more/less time was needed, adjust future blocks accordingly through this continuous improvement process.

Mastering timeboxing takes practice, but the productivity gains are immense. Start with 45 minutes if 90 is too daunting initially, but work your way up to three focused hours daily. It's challenging but rewarding - give it a dedicated try!

Time's up! Ticking off this box,

Jorge Luis Pando

“Time is the scarcest resource, and unless it is managed, nothing else can be managed." - Peter Drucker

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