timeboxd

we fetishize time, let's put it in a nice dress

getting more done with less is knowing which tasks to delegate (to ai) and which tasks not to do at all. in other words, extreme clarity on the stuff you ought to do, and extreme focus while doing it. the most fundamental way i achieve clarity is by typing down everything, literally everything i do and think about. that's a story for a longer post. this post isn't about my typing tips; it's a tribute to the timebox. and the focus you can achieve with it.

the gist of timeboxing is that you define a task time and set aside a limited amount of time to solve it. here lies the first benefit of the timebox: actually thinking through what you want to do right now, and how long it should take. just scribbling down things on the task at hand gets you much closer to working tidy. there are many posts and theories about maximum timebox efficiency, but i keep it lightweight.

i use session as my timeboxing app of choice ¹. mostly because when the timer for the timebox starts, there's a delightful animation to guide your breath:

i just stare at the dot and breathe, in and out. i always go back to the dot. don't want to work? go back to the dot. stressed? go back to the dot. dot.

wouldn't you know, staring at dot is a quintessential meditative and concentration practice. my tip: while breathing in, suck in the upper part of your stomach. it automatically becomes a meditation practice and fixes your posture.

the dot clears the noise so you can actually attune.

after dotting around, i start defining the task. the first timebox timer is for always 5 minutes long in which i fill out the following text form:.

- what should i be doing now?
  - 🔵
- goal@🔵
- async task: 🔵

(hint: "🔵" is my way of marking text snippets as "to fill out")

the generation of the text form is automated. the filling out is not. basically, i view it as a socratic monologue with myself about what is currently the highest priority. like, not what i think is the highest priority, but what actually is the highest priority. small tasks like replying to messages are done instantly. the highest priority task crystallizes through asking and answering abstract questions, like "is there a better way to do this?".

having found the task, i timebox it, like goal@8:30 - ship article. the async task field forces me to think about if i can use ai agents to aid me with the task, like doing research in parallel.

here's a filled out example from this morning:

- what should i be doing now?
  - mhh, ship article? or work on the app?
    - the app can wait, article is more important as i want to write everyday
  - is there a more important task right now?
    - nope, ship article
- goal@8:30 - ship article
- async task: claude deep research breathing techniques

usually i start working on the task before the 5 minutes are up. then the 5 minute timer pops, i set the actual timebox for the defined goal, and keep going. when the timer runs out i take a break. the actual evaluation and reevaluation of the work happens after staring at the dot.
rinse and repeat.

i follow this order religiously: breathe first, then decide what to do, then timebox. when the timer dings, i stop. when i don't follow the timebox and the dot, i have my least productive days. most online productivity articles impose too much structure for my taste. my workflow is optimized for me, but the steps flow into each other naturally. no predefining of timeboxes and tasks.

just asking what i should be doing, how long it should take, and what i can skip entirely. over and over and over and over.

fin

dot