It took me 42 years to realize that I needed to get rid of everyone who was toxic and unfavourable and who prevented me from being the finest version of myself. Life is too short to spend time with ignorant individuals.
And you have no idea how significantly my life has improved.
Anyhow, a great buddy of mine sent me a link on to-do lists.
The article's heading read, "Former monk Jay Shetty says'most successful, productive people don't use to-do lists' — what he does instead."
I thought it was incredibly relatable, so I'd want to share my opinions and practical knowledge on timeboxing and to-do lists.
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Apparently Jay Shetty and I have a lot more in common than I'd like to think, but it's also possible that I've learnt a lot from listening to his podcasts.
Anyway, let's get to the topic I wanted to cover. To start, let me say that I don't frequently use a to-do list. I might always claim to be going through my to-do lists, but I only do so because it is simpler to use that phrase than to define timeboxing.
Timeboxing, as defined by Jay Shetty, is the process of converting your to-do list into a calendar and assigning each activity a specific amount of time. You then decide what to accomplish and when to do it, ignoring all other distractions within the allotted amount of time for that work.
By assigning you a set amount of activities to finish each day, timeboxing gives you a finite number of tasks to complete per day unlike a to-do list.
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This is how timeboxing functions in my opinion and why I believe it increases my productivity.
The five issues I discovered with my to-do list were a turning point in my life. First, they presented me with an excessive number of options. Second, I gravitate towards jobs that are easier to complete and are simpler by nature. Third, I rarely feel motivated to complete critical but non-urgent chores, such as scheduling time for learning. Fourth, to-do lists by themselves lack the crucial context of how much free time I have. Fifth, they don't have an accountability system to hold me accountable.
That was plenty for me, and I have since switched from my to-do list to this timeboxing calendar approach. And during the past few years, I've learned a few more advantages of timeboxing that I'd like to share.
First, scheduling timeboxes into a calendar allows for the relative arrangement of tasks. Working diligently and doing my absolute best isn't always necessary; instead, doing the right thing at the appropriate moment will result in greater results for everyone.
Second, it provides me with a detailed account of everything I've accomplished.
Thirdly, I feel like I have greater control. Control is the main factor that determines my level of enjoyment at work, thus this is really essential to me. My happiness and productivity suffer as a result of frequent interruptions. Timeboxing is the ideal remedy for this. I plan what to accomplish and when to do it, eliminate all outside distractions for the specified period of time, and complete the task. Repeat. Consistent control and obvious success are incredibly pleasant and even addictive. This is about my intention and how I feel, not just about production.
Fourth, my productivity has increased significantly. The majority of us accept that there is some truth to the idea that work grows to fill the time allocated for its completion. In reality, we frequently spend longer than necessary on a task, affected more by the time that is actually available than by how long the task should actually take. Therefore, by setting a reasonable, limited time for a task and sticking to it, disciplined timeboxing for me frees me from the above.
The advantages of timeboxing are numerous, diverse, and profound. This routine has enhanced my mood and my personal accomplishments. Given how much time it gives me to do other tasks, this may have been the most crucial ability or practice I have acquired as a modern professional. Additionally, it is easily applied and cost-free.
Generally stated, timeboxing is a time management strategy in which you assign a specific amount of time to a specified activity. After the stipulated duration has passed, you stop working on the activity and evaluate whether your intended objectives have been met.
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How do you timebox, then?
Four steps make up the timeboxing time management method:
- Locate appropriate tasks
- Establish your goals
- Set a timer
- Work, and evaluate your progress
STEP 1
Locate appropriate tasks
In general, you can choose any task and assign it to a timebox, but it would be better if you did so for the following tasks:
Tasks that you don't want to spend a lot of time on and for which you lack motivation.
Typically, tasks that you know will need a lot of time and effort are the ones that you lack motivation to do. You delay endlessly since you are aware that you cannot complete these things quickly.
You can effectively reduce the difficulty of the assignment by breaking it up into smaller, more manageable pieces, each with their own deadlines and milestones. This leaves you with the simple chore of inspiring yourself to meet the next deadline or milestone, which is much more doable.
Most of the time, unpleasant but important jobs, like cleaning up your room or organizing your emails, are the ones you don't want to spend too much time on. Either you'll put off starting these tasks or you'll take an excessive amount of time.
You essentially limit the time you'll spend on such task from the outset by giving yourself a fixed deadline.
STEP 2
Establish your goals
Once you've chosen your projects, consider what you intend to accomplish with them and when.
When it comes to tasks you don't want to perform, you might make working on them during a timebox, a goal itself. For instance, make cleaning your room for 15 minutes your goal. By working on organizing your room for 15 minutes each day for a week, you'll probably discover that you've made significant progress without even breaking a sweat. You can even make this timebox an ongoing one.
STEP 3
Set a timer
This step is very similar to the second stage in the time blocking time management strategy. Once you've decided on the activity you'll tackle and the goals you want to achieve by doing it, it's time to devote a time period to this work.
Therefore, you choose when to begin working on the task and when to finish it. If the time limit allows, you may even note this time in your calendar to ensure that you don't get behind on your errands.
As was indicated in the first step, you'll likely timebox your most challenging tasks that you lack motivation to do; as a result, you'll need an ideal, condensed timebox to assist in making these tasks bearable.
The "Eat that Frog" time management method's creator, Brian Tracy, advises working on your most challenging tasks first thing in the morning. Therefore, you may simply set up a timebox in the morning for your most crucial, urgent, or simply unappealing work that you lack the motivation to complete.
STEP 4
Work, and evaluate your progress
The final step may be the simplest; you immediately begin working on your first scheduled task and move down your list of scheduled timeboxes.
Keep track of how much time you spend on each task to make sure you don't go over the allocated time:
Stop working as soon as the period of time specified has passed, and then evaluate your performance.
You are successfully timeboxing each time you complete your assignment inside the given time frame. All that is left to do is evaluate your progress each time.
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I'm not entirely against making a to-do list.
What is the secret to completing tasks? It involves creating to-do lists and completing them. The most critical tasks are listed first, while the least significant tasks are listed last.
The oldest method of productivity is to make a list of the things you need to do, prioritize the list, and then complete the list. But what would be more effective? Timeboxing.
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The debate between timeboxing and to-do lists is an important one when deciding how to get things done. You must comprehend your working style and optimal workflow if you want to know what suits you best. You can ultimately choose which is more significant to you. There are circumstances in which you could even combine the usage of timeboxing and to-do lists.
To be frank? I timebox and keep a to-do list. That's how I operate.
Finding the best approach to employ or the one that is more effective is difficult. However, I think using both is a wonderful idea because they complement one another. You can make a list of your tasks, order them by importance, and determine how long it will take you to finish each one. Then, create up timeboxes with projected completion times for each of those jobs.
Therefore, you need to be aware of the tasks if you want to know the implementation time for both. Both are suitable options, depending on your work standards.
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Whatever you choose to do, never forget one crucial point...
Take regular breaks.
Humans can operate most effectively for only 35 to 45 minutes on average. Therefore, it's essential to continuously take breaks if you want to maintain your energy and productivity. Regular breaks allows you to advance more quickly than those who take few or no breaks.
Surprised? I'm sure you are!
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With my always busy schedule, which requires excellent organisational abilities, and after all these years as a modern professional, I have come to understand the few benefits and drawbacks of timeboxing and using to-do lists.
Let's start by discussing the benefits and drawbacks of timeboxing.
The advantages of timeboxing includes:
- Ease of performance
- Ease of time management
- More possibilities for evaluation
- Less anxiety
The disadvantages? Well, I only discovered one drawback:
- Finding consistent time in the calendar to complete tasks
What are a to-do list's benefits and drawbacks now?
The advantages of a to-do list includes:
- Ease of implementation
- Prioritization of important tasks
- A simple sense of satisfaction
What is the disadvantage of a to-do list?
- If the list becomes too lengthy, it may cause stress
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In conclusion, the next step for you is to decide whether timeboxing, to-do lists, or both are good for you. However, feel free to experiment to discover what works for you. I would advise utilizing both because they complement one another quite nicely.
"So box some time to implement a version of this, that works for you."
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