Timeboxing
Just been reading about a technique called “timeboxing”. I don’t think the concept is new even if the title is but it is still worth reminding ourselves of it anyway.
Hands up those who don’t suffer from procrastination? Well obviously I can’t see how many hands are up but there again you can’t see mine but I think 99% of us will have our hands in the air. (including me)
The concept is that to get yourself started (and that is always the hard part) choose a task or just a part of a task and give yourself, say, 30 minutes on it. Then choose a reward that you will get afterwards. This carrot and stick approach should soon get you started and the thought of a reward should keep you at your task for the alloted time.
The interesting thing about starting a task is that once we get going we often become so engrossed in it that we end up doing it for a lot longer than we set out to do. Once we actually get going our attention will switch to completing the current task. In fact we may even go on to a new one when we have finished the first one.
So there you have it. Easy. Before you know it not only have you managed to get started on something but you will probably have achieved more than you set out to!
You know – I think this is so simple but it works. I’m off for my reward now!