This Is The Best Productivity Hack According To Harvard

Time boxing is something I only heard about in the past few years.  It turns out I had been doing it for longer, I just didn’t know it was a “thing”. As someone who’s main job as a Vocal Department Coordinator is essentially problem-solving (mainly for other people, but I also do cause some of the issues myself) I struggle to juggle multiple projects, admin, teaching, etc.  For me, time boxing is a way to block certain times in my agenda when I only work on particular things.  I can’t use it for my whole life as my job is too unpredictable, but I do find it a great help for when I need to be concentrated and working efficiently.

So, what is it exactly?  Time boxing is a method to help you manage your time and get things done faster and more efficiently. You break tasks down into smaller, manageable chunks and set a time limit for each one. In this article, you’ll find 10 tips to help you master time boxing, so you can get on top of your tasks, achieve your goals, reduce stress, and be more productive.

1. Create a to-do list

Making a to-do list is a great place to start when time boxing tasks. I love notebooks, but have been making to-do lists digitally for the past few years as I can add something on my phone, work or home computer, and it’s all synced up.  Whatever method you choose, make sure you prioritise the tasks you want to get done. Maybe start off with a few simple tasks that don’t require a lot of thinking or research until you get the hang of it.

2. Break tasks down into smaller chunks

Once you’ve created your to-do list, break down those tasks into smaller chunks. For example, if you need to write an essay, you might break this task down into the following sub-tasks: Define the question, collect and organise research, write the body, write the conclusion, and write the introduction.  (I always found it easier writing my introduction at the end).  Breaking tasks down into smaller chunks allows you to see how much time is needed for each chunk and prevents you from overloading your schedule and becoming overwhelmed in the process.

3. Set a realistic time limit for each task

This is one of my fatal flaws.  I always think that things take much less time than in reality.  Every time I have to leave my house, I think it only takes 2 minutes, but after cleaning my teeth, getting my shoes and coat on, bag, checking the weather for rain (it is the Netherlands after all), making sure the cat isn’t going to escape, it’s 10 minutes, and I’m late. I digress…

Now your tasks are broken down into smaller chunks, it’s time to set a realistic time limit for each one. The best way to do this is to think about how long each task will take, and then add 10-15% to account for interruptions and distractions. For example, if you know a certain task will take 30 minutes, set a time limit of 40 minutes to allow for some wiggle room. Setting a realistic time limit for each task helps you to stay disciplined, prevents you from taking too long on certain tasks, and keeps you from feeling overwhelmed by large projects. This is also super helpful for those of us with ADHD.  I need pressure to be able to work faster, I often need the panic monster (See Tim Urban’s talk in this article to know what I’m talking about) to appear to get anything done at all.  When there’s a limited amount of time I’ve given myself, this gets me going!

4. Get organised

If you have a disorganised workspace, it can take you longer to get tasks done. To maximise productivity, you should get organised before starting each time box. This can involve cleaning your table, sorting through your sheet music, or organising your to-do list. The less time you spend organising and cleaning up, the more time you have to focus on important tasks. For example, you can use a digital timer to set up a timed sight-reading session. Using a visual timer can help.  I have a stopwatch app on my phone that’s very handy as I can see how much time I have left to practise.

5. Prioritise tasks

To prioritise tasks, think about your goal and how each task can help you achieve it. Then, sort your to-do list by importance and place the most important tasks at the top of the list to avoid getting distracted by the low-hanging fruit of easy tasks. While time boxing, it’s important to stick to the task order you’ve chosen to help you stay focused.  Complete the most important tasks first.

6. Stop those time-wasting activities

I love a good scroll on Instagram, but sometimes I completely lose track of time as I’ve spiralled into the pit of the Instagram Reels.  So while time boxing can help you stay focused, it won’t prevent you from wasting time. To help you stop time-wasting activities, start by setting strict rules for yourself.  For example, I have a reminder on my phone for when I’ve watched more than 30m of YouTube – it goes by so fast!  – And I have a night/day schedule set, so at 22:00 I don’t get any notifications any more and the screen goes into greyscale.  There are plenty of benefits associated with time boxing, but it is important to stay disciplined and stick to the time limits for each task.

7. Stay focused

Staying focused is the hardest thing for me.  Over the years, I’ve found out what works for me and how to hack into my focus mode.  It usually involves wearing earplugs or earphones, listening to music I don’t know the words to (usually K-pop), and standing up at my desk.  If I’m standing, I can’t get sleepy or tired and then let my brain wander. To contrast that, I also work really well in a café, with the background hum keeping me concentrated.  The best thing you can do it to find out what works for you, everyone is different so start to reflect on when you can focus the best and then start to experiment until you find your own hacks.

8.  Use time-tracking tools

While time boxing, it’s important to track the time you spend on each task, as you can see which tasks took longer than expected and start to think about why.  When time boxing, you have two options for time tracking: analogue or digital. If you prefer to use an analogue timer, you can use a kitchen timer, egg timer, or a stopwatch. If you prefer to use a digital timer, you can use an online timer or a productivity app. Using a timer to track time is important because it helps you stay disciplined, focused, and on schedule.

9. Take breaks

Taking frequent breaks while time boxing can help you stay focused and productive while preventing tiredness and therefore, lack of focus. The ideal length of time for a break varies from person to person and depends on the task you’re completing. If you’re not certain how long to break for, start off with a 5-minute break and then increase the length of the break as you get more comfortable with the system.

10. Review and adjust

Once you’ve completed a few time boxes, it’s important to review the time spent on each task and make adjustments as needed. Reflection is key.

That’s it!  It may look like a lot of steps, but once you’ve tried it a few times, you’ll soon get the hang of it, and will hopefully see some great results. 

Let me know if you’ve used time boxing or other methods to help you with your productivity.  Maybe the pomodoro method?