We all want to make better use of our time – and here is a great way to do it: Timeboxing.
First, I will admit that I am a Recovering Multi-Tasker. I know that I should close all of my apps, notifications, and windows to focus on only one thing at a time, but I backslide. If you want to learn how and why to kick the multi-tasking habit, check out this blog.
The next step to greater productivity is to prioritize your weekly and daily To Do Lists. If you have never seen Steven Covey’s Big Rocks video, check it out here.
If you have stopped trying to multi-task and you already prioritize your To Do List, then you are ready for the next level of productivity breakthrough: Timeboxing. Below are some ideas about how to implement this practice, taken from a recent Harvard Business Review article. If you want more, there is a book by Marc Zao-Sanders: Timeboxing: The Power of Doing One Thing at a Time.
*Take your Prioritized To Do List and transfer it to your Calendar.
*Block the amount of time you think you need for each Task. This is a Timebox.
*Focus ONLY on that Task during that time period. When the time is up, move to the next Task.
*Review and Adjust. If you did not complete the Task, either add another Timebox or reprioritize.
*Leave some unscheduled time on your calendar to make yourself available for meetings that might arise. If no meetings come up, great – you can add a Timebox for a Task you previously did not have time for.
*No Encroachment! Don’t let people steal your Task Timebox for a meeting that they think is important. Worst case – trade your Task Timebox for some unscheduled time so you can attend a meeting that is truly an emergency.
*No Time? If you are one of those people who are booked in meetings all day long, with no time for Task Timeboxes then you need to stop that. You will never get anything done. Check out this blog to learn more.
Give it a try! Timeboxing promises increased focus, improved productivity, and reduced procrastination. Maybe you can even make more free time for yourself.
*Ideas for this blog taken from: Zao-Sanders, M. “How Timeboxing Works and Why It Will Make You More Productive,” Harvard Business Review online, December 12, 2018.
