The “AAA Time Boxing” Method

If you master your time, you will master your life. But do we really control our time?

I have read most of the time management and productivity books on the market and have been testing the most prominent productivity apps and concepts for the past 30 years. One of my observations (which BTW is pretty obvious and you don’t need 30 years to figure it out) is that there are two totally separate universes:

• Universe 1: What people know that they need to do.
• Universe 2: What people really do in their day-to-day life.

One of the creatures which lives in both parallel universes is our Time Management knowledge and real-world applications.

The Time Boxing Method (classic)

Out of the most prominent and efficient approaches for time management is so called “Time Boxing”.

Here’s a definition of the Time Boxing Method:

“Time Boxing is a time management method where you allocate a fixed, pre-defined block of time to a specific task or activity—and commit to stopping when the time is up, regardless of whether the task is complete.”

The key principles of Time Boxing are:

1. You decide in advance how long a task will take.
2. You work on the task only during that set time.
3. When the time ends, you stop, review, or switch tasks.

What is the point, the purpose of all this?

1. Prevents overworking and perfectionism.
2. Increases focus and urgency.
3. Helps you prioritize and estimate effort better.

Example: You give yourself 30 minutes to write a blog post draft. After 30 minutes, you stop—even if it’s not perfect.

All this sounds good.

Do I know all this?

Yes.

Am I applying those principles?

Yes and no.

Let me explain.

I start the day sitting in front of my calendar with a cup of specialty coffee (black, no sugar, no milk, pure Arabica bitterness). I plan my perfect day, setting time blocks so clean and in such perfect order that my heart starts singing the Song of the Streamliner.

Then the day starts.

I get distracted and start doing something else.

Somebody pops up on my desk with an urgent task.

A meeting which I forgot about comes to my mind.

An emergency happens and I need to go firefighting.

I completely ignore my pre-defined structure and everything goes bananas.

When I look my perfectly ordered time blocks, they feel more like an obstacle to my freedom rather than something to streamline my life and work.

I knew that Time Boxing works.

But why it was not working for me?

The Time Boxing Method (real life adjustments)

After so many ruined timeboxiums I identified the following issues or points of failure (POF):

1. If you go too much granular you won’t be able to maintain and follow it.
2. If it is not panic/emergency-proof, it will not work.
3. If it is complicated, it won’t work.
4. The time blocks are just blocks in your calendar. It is your responsibility to defend them.

Based on the above insights, I did some adjustments to the Time Boxing Method to be able to apply in my busy life.

Rule No. 1: Use different types of blocks

If you categorize the blocks, you can properly set your context and mood. Vice versa, if you create blocks like “Project 1” or “Meeting with XYZ”, those are just items and they are too complex. The blocks are one things and the execution within them is a totally different story.

The blocks should be related to the type of operation, not the specific operation. Here are some ideas for types of time blocks:

• Meetings
• Tasks
• Logistics
• Morning Routine
• Family time
• Etc.

Rule No. 2: Make larger blocks

Blocks of 30 minutes are just tasks, not blocks. Also, they are hard to manage. Have each block general and larger than 1 hour. Preferably 2 hours or more. This will give you the chance to set the mood and context, review what needs to be done in this time block and actually do it.

Rule No. 3: Have a routine for each of the blocks

When a time block starts, you should be ready to act. You need to know what to do. If it is a routine, you need to have the steps ready and clear. If it is a meeting, you need to have an agenda. If it is a project or execution block, you need to know what are the specific tasks which you decided to execute while this block is active.

So, the structure is not:

• Time Block 1
• Time Block 2
• Time Block 3

But it should be:

• Time Block 1:
  • Action 1.1
  • Action 1.2
  • Action 1.3
• Time Block 2:
  • Action 2.1
  • Action 2.2
  • Action 2.3
• Etc.

The above looks like simple and logical improvements of the method. Let’s see how to apply them in the real world. Enter “The AAA Time Boxing Method”.