What is timeboxing?

• Hours

• Days

• Months

• Years

This all depends on the complexity of the task, tasks, or project that the organization is dealing with. Timeboxing puts emphasis on the deadline of a task and makes it the driving force and motivation for an employee or team of employees to complete the task. Timeboxing gathers a fixed and maximum amount of time for a specific activity.

Here are some common benefits of timeboxing:

• Combats employee procrastination

  Using the timeboxing method can help fight procrastination in employees because it focuses on deadlines and time allotments, making the urgency to complete a task that much more prominent in the employee's objectives.

• It works for both individual employees and teams of employees

  Timeboxing can be utilized for one employee, several employees, or whole teams of employees. When used for a single employee it is best utilized for tasks that are not overly complex but are time sensitive and must adhere to a deadline. More complex tasks can be time-boxed for teams of employees that must collaborate to achieve a goal.

• Puts a definitive timetable on a task

  Many working environments suffer from lacking clear details on task completion and project delivery time frames. Timeboxing makes this somewhat impossible because it puts such a strong emphasis on completing a task within a certain time period. Employees often work more efficiently and effectively when they are given time constraints.

• Stops employees from multitasking

  Multitasking can be a benefit for some employees in certain roles. However, it can also produce negative outcomes for others. If employees multitask too much, then every task might take a long time to actually complete. Timeboxing puts a stop to unnecessary multitasking and promotes the completion of one specific task during each time unit.

• Assists organizations in measuring productivity

  Implementing a timeboxing strategy can help organizations gauge productivity levels. Because timeboxing is a very structured system, it makes the collection of productivity data very simple. Employers can even pinpoint the areas of improvement by looking at the completion rates of different tasks that are time-boxed.

• Saves time

  Timeboxing saves companies time because it is, in essence, a strict working schedule. This ensures that employees and teams are working towards completing tasks and goals that they should be doing during working hours.

• Increases productivity

  Timeboxing also has the benefit of increasing productive rates at companies. When employees are given strict directives they are time-boxed.