Some of these approaches have been little-known secrets hoarded by successful people.
Distinct pathways have been discussed so much that at this point they should be common knowledge.
What works for one entrepreneur doesnt guarantee that it will work for you.
Im a big fan of Tim Ferriss.
In other words, when it comes to time management and productivity, there is no universal approach.
For example, youve heard a zillion times that the key to success is to wake up early.
Research has found that it is the most effective productivity hack and its called timeboxing.
What is timeboxing?
Timeboxing is different than time-blocking.
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When the time was up, I wrapped up the article and moved on to my next task.
you’ve got the option to also use this concept for a group of tasks.
You would break down that project into smaller assignments with deadlines for each one.
you’re able to take your time-boxing to-do-list and calendar those lists into time blocking chunks of time.
Then follow the time boxing schedule.
The benefits of timeboxing.
There are many benefits of timeboxing and it helps replace the standardized to-do-lists.
Thats not to say that you cant create lists.
I still use lists so that I dont forget anything of importance.
But, sometimes, living and breathing by your lists can be problematic.
Additionally, lists can sometimes steer us away from our priorities in favor of the almighty checkmark.
Maybe we have the urge to check-off 70 things today.
It can also boost productivity.
Want to give timeboxing a whirl?
Heres some pointer on how you’re able to get started, and eventually perfect, this art.
Take baby steps
Like anything else that youve never tried before, ease your way into timeboxing.
You wouldnt join a marathon and expect to finish without training in advance.
It may be tempting to fill your calendar with blocks of time for the next year.
You may even want to dive right into a colossal-sized project using this method.
If you do, youre just setting yourself up for failure.
Pick a small task or something that can be completed quickly first.
By choosing something trivial, it will prevent you from getting overwhelmed or frustrated.
A good starting point would be time boxes of 15 to 20 minutes.
Then add the tasks in the box.
Why would you work on your most important task of the day at four pm when youre tired?
We all have our own biological prime times.
you oughta conduct a little test tosee when youre most productive.
Chris Baily suggests that you record your energy levels for every hour for three weeks.
In these time slots, youll add in your most important tasks for the day.
During your lulls, youll focus on less-important tasks.
it’s possible for you to block out these times and time box the tasks.
Knowing your own truth will help you create more efficient timeboxes.
It also lets you know how much time youre spending on unproductive activities like browsing social media.
Whats the main takeaway here?
These calculations will prevent you from over-or-underestimating how long it takes you to complete something.
Not only that, but know youre at a crossroads.
Do you stop writing and jump to something else?
Also, dont forget to devote some time to those smaller and pesky tasks.
I set aside an hour every Friday afternoon to knock out these minor tasks; then theyre done.
You dont want to get sucked into a project where you go over its permitted time allotment.
you might set a reminder, like a five-minute warning for longer timeframes.
Having that warning allows you to wrap-up whatever youre working on.
Its also handy in meetings as it ensures that you dont go longer then what has been scheduled.
By having this information readily visible you wont be interrupted when you are focused.
As a consequence, it reduces distractions and makes scheduling a breeze.
Reflect, assess, and refine
Finally, set aside a time to reflect and access progress.
You may notice that you dont need an hour for a specific task and that 45-minutes would have sufficed.
Finding out the accuracy of your calculations will help you create a more accurate schedule going forward.
For example, some people I know prefer to use a hybrid of to-do-lists and timeboxing.
They like the visual part of lists, and they use the timebox to emphasize priorities.
I use the timebox to par down the lists and move on.
See whats working for you then make adjustments so that timeboxing works for you.
Story byJohn Rampton
John Rampton is an entrepreneur, investor, online marketing guru and startup enthusiast.
He is founder of the online productivity companyCalendar.
