When "Time over Task" defines Productivity !

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It's easy to get lost in the maze of work (tasks) during our quest to become more productive. Little do we realise that productivity is as much about time as about tasks and merely focusing on finishing as many tasks as possible may not always be the best approach to being productive. When productivity is at stake, then both quality and quantity hold equal importance, and we can't afford to compromise on either. But maintaining the balance between quantity and quality is easier said than done !

It's not easy being productive in a VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) world, where distractions exist in plenty and we need to try really hard to stay focused. Speed is of great essence in everything that we do but at times things may get too overwhelming for us because of the plenty that we need to work on. So, when "unlimited tasks in limited time" becomes the order of the day, then "prioritisation" is our only saviour and the focus shifts from merely accomplishing things to accomplishing the right things.

Here's sharing about a tool/ technique that could stand us in good stead when we need to balance prioritisation and speed/ time. The tool/ technique is known as TIMEBOXING, a simple way to get the best out of our every effort. Let's explore it in detail below

What is Timeboxing ?

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TIMEBOXING refers to allocation of a fixed length of time to an activity with the purpose of limiting the amount of time spent on each of the identified activity. This technique ensures 2 things

for us

• appropriate time is spent on each activity based on their importance (the discretion lies with us in terms of how much time we allocate to each of the identified task/ activity). 

• dedicated attention and maximum focus is put to each of the identified task/ activity

Unlike POMODORO technique, where the length of time allotted to each identified task is fixed to 25 minutes, here, in TIMEBOXING, there is a flexibility provided in terms of allotting any length of time to an activity, based on our judgement.

Read Related Article : POMODORO - The "Tick-Tock" way to Boost Productivity !

Why TimeBoxing would work ?

This technique would work for the simple reason that we live in a highly distracting world and with our attention span waning day by day, we need a technique that could deliver us results without demanding our prolonged attention.  

What are the benefits of Timeboxing ?

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Among the many benefits of timeboxing, few of the important ones are as mentioned below:

• Better control over 
• time
• task and 
• prioritisation of tasks

• Opportunity to reassess the task in terms of complexity and effort and accordingly modify time allotted, if need be

• Focus our energy and effort on important items and render us more productive

• Avoid burnout as we only spend a defined time-length on any activity/ task, irrespective of whether the task gets completed wholly or partially

• Builds concentration as we devote our full attention to a task for that time-duration.

• Flexibility in defining different time-lengths for different activities/ tasks

• Helps avoid procrastination as important things get precedence over less important ones 

What are the steps for applying Timeboxing ?

• Identify the goal to be accomplished and the objectives to be met

• List down all the tasks/ activities required for accomplishing the goal/ meeting the laid down objective(s)

• Calculate and set time-length for each of the identified task/ activity

• Prioritise the tasks, in alignment with the goal/ objective, in terms of sequence/ order, length and breadth pertinent to each activity

• Evaluate the progress against the goal/ objective 

• Reassess the time-length if desired results are not obtained 

Few precautions to take 

• Before applying the timeboxing technique, ensure to establish the goal first 

• Set short and realistic timeboxes, keeping in mind the average human attention span and the individual attention span too

• Have in place a dedicated timer. If using a smartphone or any other gadget for use as a timer, ensure the data is off to avoid any distracting prompts or pokes

• Build in relevant breaks during timeboxing

• If not required/ needed, avoid the temptation to finish the entire activity/ task in one go 

Remember, timeboxing is the way to go when you want to be in flow !