Task upon task piles up on your to-do list. As deadlines approach, you jump from one to-do to another, and you start wondering whether you'll get everything done in time. The result is additional pressure that causes you to stumble.
Especially working from home requires discipline to not get distracted. We wrote about time management before on the Coopers blog and listed practical apps that help you organize yourself. Today, we would like to introduce you to the method of timeboxing. Management giants like Bill Gates or Elon Musk also use this method to optimize their packed daily lives.
What is timeboxing and how does timeboxing work?
Timeboxing originates from the agile project technique SCRUM and focuses on the resource time. In SCRUM, timeboxing ensures that the strict schedules of sprints are adhered to. The given time in a day is allocated to your tasks in a particularly efficient way. After all, the more time we have for a task, the longer it takes us to complete it (Parkinson's Law). Timeboxing is designed to put a stop to this.
Here is how timeboxing works:
1) Create a to-do list and set priorities
You probably already have it: a complete and detailed to-do list. It is the basis for timeboxing, because only then you know what needs to be done. Prioritize the tasks according to importance and urgency.
Tip: A digital to-do list can be edited more easily, like moving the task items up or down. A great tool is the Microsoft Planner with boards, buckets, et cetera.
Coopers example:
Contact candidates for vacancy X (prio 1)
Answer emails (prio 2)
2) Estimate processing time
This requires some practice: You need to estimate how much time you need to complete each task on your to-do list.
Helpful orientation:
- Is it a recurring task? Then you can reliably estimate how long you will need from your experience.
- Ask experts for their time estimate. This could be colleagues who have already completed a similar task once or several times.
- Plan buffer times. This will reduce pressure and stress in case of additional revision loops or something similar. Don't forget to schedule your breaks, too.
Coopers example:
Contact candidates for vacancy X (prio 1) – 90 minutes
Answer emails (prio 2) – 30 minutes
3) Add the timeboxes to your calendar
At this point you know: What must be done when and how much time do I need for it. Based on your time estimates, you define a timebox for each task – as in the above-mentioned example, 90 minutes for contacting candidates for position X or 30 minutes for answering emails. These timeboxes are now entered into the calendar so that your day is organized by task blocks.
There are two different types of timeboxes: hard and soft timeboxes.
Hard timebox: Once the allotted time is up, you literally drop the pen. If the task is not yet completed, it moves to the next free slot.
Soft timebox: The calculated timeframe serves more as guidance than as a limit. You can complete your task and learn over time how long it really takes you to do something.
You will get a feeling quite quickly which timebox is suitable for which task. If a lot of discipline is required or you want to stop putting things off any longer, you should opt for a hard timebox; if it's mainly about self-organization and creative tasks, set soft timeboxes.
4) Time tracking
In order to optimize your future time estimates, you should always write down how long you actually needed to complete a task. In doing so, you'll gain experience and identify time-consuming tasks.
Coopers example:
Contact candidates for vacancy X (prio 1) – 90 minutes | Factual: 80 minutes
Answer emails (prio 2) – 30 minutes | factual: 45 minutes
Application of timeboxing in everyday work life
Timeboxing helps to structure your day so that you are less likely to jump back and forth between your tasks, but rather complete them in a focused manner. That way, you make the most efficient use of your already limited time.
Such a schedule sounds too rigid for you? Then don't be afraid to set timeboxes for creative work or use it only for certain tasks. There is no need to divide every day into blocks. Maybe in your position it makes sense to use timeboxing only for some duties. We recommend you give it a try for two to three weeks and feel your way to find the optimal solution. Because, as is so often the case, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to time management.
Our Coopers employee Elena D'Cruz has been testing timeboxing since the beginning of April and finds: "Timeboxing is a simple concept with great effect. The self-imposed deadlines inspire efficient work. It takes a bit of practice to estimate the right amount of time and sometimes I still get it wrong. But that's okay. Because one of the biggest benefits for me is that I no longer feel like I'm getting bogged down. For example, I set myself email blocks first thing in the morning and before I finish work. In between, I have turned off the mail alert and work more concentrated. Because even if I don't reply right away, it clouds my focus when I see that another appointment request or any mail for that matter landed in my inbox. Overall, a recommendable method, especially if, like me, you work part-time and every minute is precious."
Do you have any experience with timeboxing? Or do you use alternative methods for time management? Let us know, we always love to learn something new and might share it on the Coopers blog and our social media channels – LinkedIn, Facebook, Xing, Instagram and Twitter.
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