Software Engineer's Productivity Trick "In a Box"
By: The Simpleology Team
On the clock. Make the most of your day by managing your time the smart way.
We could all learn a thing or two about office productivity from folks in the software industry. How do they prevent meltdowns in the face of heavy workloads? Simple. They just box time.
Smart Timing
Time boxing is a strategy used in software development projects to plan out a project. They split up the project into stages--with each stage having it's own deadline. By employing this one-thing-at-a-time strategy, they finish the project efficiently. This works well, too, when applied to other work environments.
"There are always several things competing for our time," says software engineer David Cheong. "At any moment, each of us could have hundreds of outstanding things to do. This question immediately become important: How can we ensure we get as much done as possible?"
Boxed Time
He then enumerates the benefits of boxing time:
1. By consciously being aware of time, it allows us to focus on doing the things that matter most.2. It serves as a reality check on how much time we spend working on open-ended tasks.
3. Because of the fixed time constraints, it can be an effective tool against procrastination.
4. It allows us to work on things during the free gaps we have between our commitments and appointments.
So, if you're tasked to write a report by your boss, you could time box it this way: write report outline (1:00 to1:30 p.m.), gather data needed (1:30 to 2:30 p.m.), write report (2:30 to 4:00 p.m.), and check report (4:00 to 5:00 p.m.).
Still, this technique isn't exactly a cure for procrastination. Cheong emphasizes: "If the time available we have is limited, a rational person should immediately think about prioritizing their outstanding tasks based on what's important and urgent."
Clock Yourself
To find out if you're "rational" enough to make time boxing work for you, answer the Time Management Survey devised by David A. Whetten and Kim S. Cameron, authors of Developing Management Skills. That is, if you really have time to spare.
Credits: Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Suggested Resource: Learn how to manage time like a pro by signing up for Simpleology 101: The Simple Science of Getting What You Want and mastering the art of the Daily Time Praxis.
Comments
I totally agree, by setting a schedule to time and prioritize tasks to time, works effciently and quantum leaps our productivity a hundredfold. Very simple yet profound! Wonderful of you to share this! Thank you
This is a great concept and fits in perfectly with simpleology. I work in technology myself, and although it can be hard to compartmentalize things at times, when I am able to I get things done much faster. Another great find!
Interesting article. This is a good example of Simpleology at work.
Mark,
Good post, thanks. Almost everyone - myself included - find it difficult to stay focused and minimize time spent on a task. Every bit helps,
Mark
I'm self-employed, so any deadlines are usually set by me, which makes them much easier to subsequently miss. Any suggestions for how someone in my position could apply this? Its something I've been battling with for a while.
This technique would work really well if you had enough time to do so. But if your boss asks for a report like right now along with another report right after, it wouldn't apply. But a great tip to use otherwise.
As a software developer myself I can totally relate to this one.
If anyone is interested in how software projects are managed I'd like to mention a really excellent resource, called the OpenUP, that demonstrates these principles admirably.
http://epf.eclipse.org/wikis/openup/
Although it is software-oriented process, the core principles could be adapted and applied to any kind of collaborative project to make it successful.
A lot of the concepts tie in nicely with Simpleology too! :-)
Good technique to use when you're too short of time and up to the brim with loads of work to complete, especially when you have to meet the dateline.
This is true if only you're 100% sure of your own productivity and efficiency! How do we measure these? Each individual measures differently. Anyway, a good concept.