Timeboxing is the answer to a silent problem: tasks expand to fill the time you give them. When the framework is open, detailed work grows, extras arise, and interruptions gain ground. With timeboxing, you reverse the logic: first comes the time, then the work fills it—not the other way around. The core principle: a fixed framework with a hard stop, after which a conscious decision is made about how to proceed. This protects your energy and forces clarity about the desired outcome.

Preparation
Set rough box slots for the week, e.g., two 50-minute windows in the morning and one 40-minute window in the afternoon. The slots remain the same—the content changes. Only fill your slots with tasks that you have selected in advance. The priority matrix (Level 2) will help you with your selection: Q1 topics (important+urgent) come first; Q2 topics (important, not urgent) are assigned fixed boxes so that they don't get lost. Then you assign the boxes to your weekly plan (Level 2) – this creates a robust framework.

Start of the box
Write down the goal in one sentence ("By: Rough draft status update ready") and choose the size: 25 minutes for quick steps, 40 minutes for substance, 50 minutes for deeper immersion. Set a visible timer. Turn off notifications, close unnecessary tabs, and have a "parking lot" note ready. Start consciously: one minute of orientation (What is step 1?).

During the box
Work monotask: When something new comes up (idea, to-do, ping), write it down in the parking lot. Keep up the pace with small definitions: "Next 10 minutes just write the introduction," "Next 15 minutes check the numbers." This way, the work flows into the framework, not into perfectionism. If someone asks "just a minute?", use the box language: "I'm in a box until :, I'll get back to you right after."

Conclusion and summary
When the stop is reached, it's over. Three questions: 1) What is finished? 2) What needs another box? 3) What can be simplified or deleted? This mini-retrospective prevents boxes from quietly "overflowing." It works the same way in teams: Many agile events—such as sprint planning—are deliberately timeboxed; they end when the box ends, even if everything is not perfect.

Common obstacles & solutions

• Too large chunks. Cut into 15- to 25-minute increments.

• Vague goals. A sentence with a verb and result ("send draft") instead of "work on it."

• Box leaks. Block your calendar, set your status to "Focus," and briefly inform your colleagues.

• Perfection. Establish a definition of "good enough" (e.g., "error-free, but not laid out").

• No reuse. Attach 5 minutes of "documentation" to intensive boxes: save notes, schedule next steps.

Practical examples

• 15-minute box: "Check & approve invoice."

• 30-minute box: "Outline quarterly update."

• 60-minute box: "Roughly plan shopping list + weekly menu." The same applies to your private life as it does to your job: the boxes are small enough to get started and long enough to deliver visible results.

Why it works
The fixed framework reduces decision-making effort and prevents procrastination. It's easier to get started because the entry point is small, and you're more likely to stick with it because the end is in sight. At the same time, timeboxing trains you to plan realistically: you learn how much can be accomplished in 25, 40, or 50 minutes—and plan the next week better. A well-known variation is the Pomodoro Technique with 25-minute intervals and short breaks – also a timeboxing approach.

Ultimately, timeboxing is less of a tool and more of an attitude: first time, then work—and a conscious stop.