Timeboxing
Give a task a fixed box of time, then decide.
Timeboxing gives each task a fixed time budget. When the box ends you decide: done, extend once, or move it to later.
Try it now
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Use it in a full sessionHow it works
Instead of working until a task is finished, you decide up front how much time it deserves, for example 30 minutes for a report draft. The limit pushes you to focus on what matters and stops perfectionism from eating your day.
When the box ends, FocusKept asks you to choose: mark it done, extend once by 25% of the box, or move the task to later. Any time beyond the original box is logged as overrun, so you learn how good your estimates are.
Step by step
- Pick a task and decide how many minutes it deserves.
- Start the box and work only on that task.
- When time is up, choose: done, extend once (+25%), or move to later.
- Check your overrun in the stats to improve future estimates.
Best for
- Tasks that expand to fill all available time
- Perfectionists and over-polishers
- Planning a day with many different tasks
When not to use it
- Open-ended exploration where the outcome is unknown
- Learning sessions that need repeated cycles
Questions
What happens if I don’t finish in time?
You can extend once by a quarter of the box or move the task to later. Both are fine; the goal is a conscious decision.
How long should a timebox be?
Between 15 and 90 minutes for most tasks. Shorter boxes create urgency; longer ones suit bigger pieces of work.
What is overrun?
Time spent beyond the original box. A consistently high overrun means your estimates are optimistic.