I’m starting this year with a focus on tactics, not just tools. Timeboxing is the tactic I rely on to plan my 100 weekly waking hours. In this post I’m sharing tips and tools to help whether you’re new to timeboxing or open to improving.

Timeboxing is the practice of scheduling tasks and deep work directly onto a calendar. By specifying how long to spend on each task, timeboxing helps you create a realistic plan taking into account your priorities and available time.

How it works for me

I start the day with 15 minutes of reflection and planning. I usually use a portable notebook or Sunsama. I review tasks, set priorities, and schedule specific time slots for deep work. I allocate time that’s available to me between meetings and teaching responsibilities.

Why timeboxing might work for you

Timeboxing might be a fit if you have the freedom to decide what to do when. It’s especially useful if you have a sense of how long things often take you and know the daily rhythms of your concentration levels, i.e. when you’re best able to focus. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing: timebox a fraction of your schedule if unpredictable work or personal responsibilities limit your flexibility.

Here’s a simple process to start timeboxing today:

1. Choose your planning time: Pick either the end of your workday or first thing in the morning. I prefer a.m. when I’m most focused.
2. List your priorities: Spend 5 minutes listing your most important tasks for the upcoming work session. Not everything. Just the top few.
3. List necessities: Spend 5 minutes listing other less-valuable tasks that you have to get done today. Again, not everything. Just what’s most essential.
4. List notes and for-later items: Spend 2 minutes jotting down anything else that comes to mind that you’ll need to remember later to help you get your work done, or that you’ll need to put on a future work list.
5. Estimate durations: Next to each task, write how long you think it will take, adding a 25% buffer to account for interruptions or hidden sub-tasks.
6. Block your calendar: Schedule each task into specific time slots.
7. Review at day’s end: Consider how long things actually took, what worked well, and what didn’t. That reflection will strengthen the next day’s plan.

Pro tip: Start small. Begin with just your morning or afternoon hours. Start with the simplest tools available to you, whether that’s paper and pen or your existing Outlook or Google Calendar.