Timeboxing: A Simple Technique to Reclaim Your Time

Timeboxing is a pretty fresh time management technique. It separates your day into nice boxes of time. Once you’ve got a time frame for a particular task, you can really focus. When you learn how it works, you will understand why so many people despise to-do lists lately.

If you want to reach the next productivity levels at work, achieve all your goals, or simply want to get more from your personal life, keep reading.

Have you ever ended up the day with less than half of your tasks done? Doesn’t matter if you are a procrastinator or a perfectionist. Going to sleep with the feeling that you lack control in your life can be extremely frustrating. Especially when you have really tried to stick to all the scrum rules to boost your productivity, but still missed some important deadline. Time-boxing comes as a rescue. 

What Is the Timeboxing Technique?

Timeboxing time management technique is actually literally this: you cut the time into the boxes and apply them to your calendar. Each fixed time period has its size and can’t be extended like a normal box. Thanks to this limitation, the task you decide to put into the timebox should be finished immediately when the time comes.

There is no possibility of putting it “for later”. The rule “better done than perfect” is very much relevant in this case. Time limits you, so you won’t lose all day because of your perfectionism. It’s also harder to lose focus, as you know which task you work on at the exact moment. Even an unpleasant task is easier to do when you already allocated time for it, and you know when you will finish. 

There are two ways of timeboxing. The soft one and the hard one. 

👉 Read also about different Time Management Techniques

1) Soft timeboxing

How many meetings do you have monthly? Would you like to set a strict limit for each of them to save your team’s time? You can.

Let’s imagine that you dedicate a 45-minute time block for the weekly team meeting at work. If you decide to use timeboxing in the soft version, when the box is finished, you will allow your team to finish the current topic. 

It means that a particular task can be completed while extending the box a bit. That’s closer to human nature, for sure. 

This version is more flexible, but it also kills the discipline. There is always a chance that finishing one thought will take much more time than you want, and it will have a bad influence on the next task; or for the break, which is crucial for human mental health. What was supposed to take two hours, suddenly takes four… and you can’t work efficiently.

But it works for some people. 

This way is also known as open timeboxing. 

2) Hard timeboxing

The hard version of timeboxing approach (sometimes called also “closed timeboxing”) is much stricter. In this case, when the 45-minute box for the meeting is finished, the meeting ends. No more talking, no more thinking and noting. You pack your things, walk out of the room, or shut your zoom. When the time frame is set up, you don’t change it. It’s an extremely strict deadline with a fixed amount of time.

In this case, people won’t have any chances to manipulate the time. Probably, at the beginning, they will find it challenging to stop immediately. There will be voices like: “We haven’t finished yet!” or “I don’t know what to do!” Getting used to this will be difficult for every team member. 

However, if you dedicate yourself to teaching your team working with hard timeboxing, after some time, they will learn how to fill the time effectively. You can always remind them 2 minutes before the meeting, that the time is limited, and conclude all the important topics. 

Time Blocking vs Timeboxing

Time blocking is a time management system that encourages you to block some specific periods of time for exact activities. If you don’t finish the task, you just add the next block for the next time.

Timeboxing, on the other hand, limits your time. You are supposed to finish the task in the allotted time you’ve estimated.

You need to make decisions quickly. For instance, if you plan to sort through your old clothes, time blocking allows you to schedule it every Friday indefinitely. With timeboxing, however, you set a fixed amount of time and must finish your task within that limit—no time for second-guessing over your favorite sweater.

When it’s over, it’s over. That’s why timeboxing can help you get things done. 

👉 See The Best Time Blocking Apps.Top 4 benefits of timeboxing: also great for the perfectionist

 

Top 4 Benefits of Timeboxing

Timeboxing is a great time management method for everyone. Whether you’re a business owner, a freelancer, a head of an agile team, a manager, or an employee, you can increase productivity with this simple technique.

Check the four main benefits:

1. Timeboxing increases your motivation

Think back to all those times you looked at your to-do list or the different tasks given to you by your boss, with everything due by the end of the week. You knew missing the deadline would cause serious problems. Maybe you even used the Scrum method, organizing everything neatly in Trello or ClickUp.

Now, how many times have you woken up only to realize the deadline was the next day? Or noticed that somehow the whole week slipped by? And how often did you pull off 30 hours of work in just 6 because you had no other choice?

Now, imagine working that efficiently every time you tackle a task. All your important work would get done because timeboxing works wonders for your morale.

2. Timeboxing helps you to win with Parkinson’s Law

The law states that “Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.”

It explains why you always feel busy, no matter how far the deadline is. You naturally adjust the amount of work to fit the time available. The more time you have, the longer you’ll spend on each task that leads you to your goals. It doesn’t mean you’re lazy, and it doesn’t mean you’re chasing perfection—this is just how people work.

While it might seem like you’re focusing on quality, in reality, it often kills your efficiency. That’s where timeboxing comes in to help.

3. Timeboxing can help to deal with your perfectionism

Many people struggle with procrastination, but perfectionism is just as common— and it’s like a little brother of Parkinson’s Law.

When you aim for perfection in everything, you often waste time. Trust me, not every document needs to be edited twice.

More often than not, done is better than perfect. Spending too much time on a single task can lead to trouble, and if you can’t decide when to move on, you may end up with a pile of unfinished work.

Timeboxing helps you stay in control. No matter how much you want to keep polishing, you’ll need to stop when the time is up. With this approach, you’ll complete everything you’ve planned.

4. Time limits give you peace of mind

One of the many benefits of timeboxing is knowing exactly how much time you’ll spend on each task. It’s the same kind of comfort you get from seeing the agenda before a meeting.

People love to have a clear picture of what’s ahead, and timeboxing provides that daily sense of control. It also helps to stay focused.

When someone at work asks, “How long will this take?” you can give a precise answer, making it easier to coordinate teamwork and conserve everyone’s mental energy.

Is There Any Timeboxing App?

Timeboxing in the calendar is possible, but it will be much easier if you use one of the time tracking apps. You will be able to plan a few weeks ahead and control time spent on individual tasks. Thanks to this, your next sprint review will be much more effective.

The right app will help you easily meet deadlines for all your project management tasks.

TimeCamp

Timeboxing with TimeCamp is a piece of cake. Because the software tracks automatically how much time a task takes to be completed, you can estimate your time boxes correctly (you get detailed reports on your work). TimeCamp will also help you to keep self-discipline, as it shows you all the distractions and unproductive activities. Many people don’t know how easy it is to lose time if you don’t track it.

But successful timeboxing is not the only thing that TimeCamp can help you with. Fighting perfectionist tendencies, invoicing, budgeting… all this becomes easier!

You can easily switch tasks, create complex reports, and break time into smaller or longer periods. That’s a time management tool that has it all. 

TimeCamp grants you unlimited access even in the free plan, so there’s nothing to lose. Check it out. 

ClickUp

ClickUp is a cloud-based project management tool that helps you get stuff done.

You can use it to manage your team, organize your tasks and project timelines, and track progress on everything from sales goals to marketing initiatives.

Whether you’re responsible for a small team or a large enterprise, ClickUp has the tools to help you keep everyone on the same page—and set them up for success.

With powerful features, simple integrations, and an intuitive design, it empowers you to build better workflows and lead your team to success.

It’s a simple tool, but very effective. The free plan is enough for most users. 

Check our ClickUp Time Tracking integration!

Any.Do

The AnyDo app is a free, easy-to-use to-do list that helps you get things done. It’s designed to be simple and intuitive.

You can keep track of any kind of task you want. AnyDo lets you easily create, delete and modify your important tasks. If you need to break a task down into smaller steps with different time constraints—no problem! Just add sub-tasks or add notes and comments to them. You can even set reminders so that you don’t forget any essential tasks.

TimeTackle

TimeTackle helps you track your progress in real-time. You can also synchronize it with Google sheets, prepare reports and even prepare calendar audit. It’s a solution good for  smaller tasks and big projects. When you turn on the tracker manually, you can also track sales meetings or sales calls time. 

Software is available from $33, and it promises 10x your ROI on your time spend.

Sunsama

 

Sunsama is a perfect time management tool for those of you who love minimalism when it comes to design. An interface is very intuitive and simple to use. It offers a kanban-style board, great drag-and-drop features, integrations with apps like Jira or Trello, and more. It also has a similar to Slack communication option. 

It doesn’t have a free version, but you can test it during a 14-day trial. 

Sunsama is a perfect time management tool for those who love minimalism in design. Its interface is very intuitive and simple to use. It offers a Kanban-style board, great drag-and-drop features, integrations with apps like Jira or Trello, and more. It also has a communication option similar to Slack.

It lest you work in manageable chunks of time with one task at a time for the entire day.

Sunsama is free for 2 weeks. After the free trial, you can subscribe to monthly ($20 per month) or yearly plan ($16 per month). 

How To Estimate Your Time?

The best way to estimate your time is by doing a mini sprint retrospective. If you’ve been using a time tracker, scheduling tasks becomes a lot easier.

As with most things, data is everything.

That’s why, when you’re starting with timeboxing, I recommend using “soft” timeboxes and turning on a timer for each task. Once you’ve gathered enough data, you’ll be able to accurately estimate your time.

With tools like TimeCamp, you can track how many short breaks you need to maintain focus, your common distractions, and how much time you actually spend on each activity.

Don’t be surprised if you find yourself wasting more time than expected—we’ve all been there.

Your New Way of Sprint Planning

How do you typically plan your tasks? Does your team use Scrum? It’s a framework designed to boost productivity and streamline project management. As Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland explain in their Scrum Guide, it’s all about well-defined roles and processes.

Don’t worry—timeboxing isn’t meant to replace Scrum. You can use it as your primary time management tool or integrate it into your sprint planning.

Just make sure to create timeboxes in your calendar for every task you pull from the backlog. Soon, you and your team will notice your productivity rising, and you’ll start hitting your goals more smoothly.

How to Use Timeboxing to Regain Control of Your Life

Work is important, but so is your personal life. Wouldn’t it be great to reap the advantages of timeboxing outside the office, too?

Every task has its time limit, and every big idea can be turned into a personal project. Remember our first example about decluttering old clothes? That’s just one of many personal tasks you can timebox for yourself or your family.

You can even use timeboxing to tackle big personal goals, like losing weight. Schedule your workouts, meal prep, sauna time, and bedtime, and fit them into timeboxes. You’ll see how much easier it becomes to stay on track.

And why stop there? Why not schedule timeboxes for watching TV, reading, self-development, or spending time with your kids and partner?

With timeboxing, you won’t just achieve your goals—you’ll stop being a slave to time. Instead, you’ll master it. By knowing your calendar, you can easily decide how many responsibilities you can take on, how much time you can dedicate to your hobbies, and when you can fully commit to enjoying time with loved ones.

No more checking emails during romantic dinners—you’ve got a timebox for that!

How to Start Timeboxing?

1. Get your data. Measure how you spend your time during the workday and later on. Know your enemy, which is distractions. Check when you are most productive, and when it’s hard for you to focus on one activity. See how many breaks you really need and when. Try TimeCamp: it’s free!
2. Prepare the list. Write down all the things you need to do at work or both, there and in your personal life. Make it in the SMART way (every task should be specific, measurable, actionable, realistic, and timely).
3. Estimate. Analyze the data, collect all the tasks for the next 1, 2, or 4 weeks, and turn your list into time blocks. Decide if one timebox should last 25, 45, or 60 minutes and how long you need to rest between jumping to the next tasks.
4. Schedule. Put your boxes in the right order. As Brian Tracy would say: eat this frog! People love to procrastinate, especially on hard tasks. It will be wise if you decide to take care of the tough ones first. You will feel satisfied and proud of yourself, so the rest of the tasks will seem easier to finish. Book some time for surprises as well because we all know what life looks like. Decide what to do with this timebox if nothing unexpected happens. 
5. Do it! Start your day by checking the calendar and going with the flow.
6. Get more data. Try sticking to your timeboxes and checking how it goes. Set the timer, turn on the TimeCamp while using the computer, and keep improving your planning. 
7. Keep going. Boost your productivity, get healthy and simply enjoy your life without fear of losing it!

Conclusion

As you see, timeboxing is effortless if you have a good plan and a nice set of tools. Every team member can implement this technique to boost their productivity. Use timeboxing in agile software development and in other situations. It’s perfect for everybody. 

Kat Ciesielska Freelancer copywriter and salesman. Currently, in love with timeboxing time management (using TimeCamp). Writing since childhood (the story about dwarfs was the first one ever). Bookworm, foodie, gamer & nature lover (yes, she walks without shoes sometimes).

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