Introduction

Time Boxing is a strategy that you may have already been implementing into your personal and work life without even realizing it. On a basic level, timeboxing is the practice of allocating a set amount of time to do a task with the goal being to finish within that allocated time. An example of timeboxing we all have experienced is a timed test where the end time is a hard deadline that must be met and all work ceases at that point. But how do we implement this idea on a larger scale and what are the benefits of doing so through Teamcal Ai?

Types of Time Boxing and Benefits

There are two main types of timeboxing that are generally practiced and each is beneficial and appropriate for different scenarios.

1. Hard cap Timeboxing
2. Soft cap Timeboxing

The first type, the hard cap is what the example of a timed test would fall under. Say you allocate the hours between 2 pm and 4 pm to finish your task, whenever that clock hits 4 you stop doing the task immediately and either move on to another one or take a break and set another time box to complete that task later on.

On the other hand, a soft cap is much more guiding rather than telling. Using the same example of 2 pm to 4 pm the 4 o’clock alarm would not mean dropping the task immediately but rather finish the thing you are doing shortly thereafter. It serves more as a reminder than a command. Both types of time boxes have their benefits as a hard time box may be better suited for those who thrive under pressure and can work harder when they know they have a deadline while a soft time box may be better suited to environments such as a meeting or discussion where there are multiple subject areas to cover. Timeboxes are also not limited to work activities and can be utilized when it comes to things such as family time, walking the dog, cooking, and even sleeping. By utilizing time boxes in non-negotiable activities and putting those into a calendar first, it allows you to plan work around them while also providing a more accurate representation of all the things you may need to get done on a particular day.

Benefits

The benefits of timeboxing are plentiful and can allow for a much more productive and less stressful workday if implemented correctly. A time box’s main pro is its detail-oriented nature. By having a set time everyone on a specific team knows something needs to get done by, it allows for the planning of other events or work right after that time box ends. This way, people know exactly what their day looks like on the calendar before it starts and causes less confusion and delays. Another huge benefit is that it inherently gets people to work both harder and smarter. By not having an infinite amount of time to finish a task, people have to either brute force their way through it or discover helpful shortcuts that can cut down on the overall time. Saying this, it is important to schedule an adequate time box for the task at hand and not one so short that the quality of the work drastically suffers. Timeboxing is a helpful and ingenious tool that everyone can implement in their life starting right now and while it may take getting used to, the benefits of the practice far outweigh the growing pains!

How Teamcal Ai Helps You Timebox

Teamcal Ai has several features that help teams Timebox and manage their hours in order to be as productive as possible. The main way Teamcal Ai does this is through the dedicated “Timebox” tab which is denoted by a clock icon in the main interface. This tab allows you to put assigned and uncompleted tasks into a certain Timebox each day which keeps you accountable while also making sure you do not burn out. The timebox feature is also especially helpful as you can look back on old tasks through a daily, weekly, and monthly view to see how long they took in order to be able to better gauge future tasks. The timebox feature also includes the incorporation of goals that you or another team member can set as a guide to how far on each task is ideal for each amount of time.

Step by Step

So how exactly does a sales manager utilize the goals and timebox feature to help increase productivity within their team? Using Teamcal Ai, a manager only needs to take three shorts steps in order to do so which are:

1) Discuss and create the Goal with your team

2) Assign weight percentage to the goal and add alerts and override ability

3) Create Time Box, the team member allocate time slots for the goals to achieve the desired percentage weight per week

1. Discuss and create the Goal with your team

The first step is to go to “settings” represented by the gear icon, click on “manage goals”, then “create new goal” in the top right. This allows you to not only name the goal but also color code it as well as provide a short description if necessary.

2. Assign weight percentage to the goal and add alerts and override ability

The second step is to go back to settings and this time click “My Goals” which allows a manager to view all the goals and assign them accordingly as well as having options for an alert when a certain productivity percentage is reached and also selecting whether the goal is overridable by nobody, a specific team, or everyone.

3. Create Time Box, the team member allocate time slots for the goals to achieve the desired percentage weight per week

The last and final step is for the Team Member to log in and see the goals assigned to them when visiting the Timebox tab shown by the clock icon. The user can then fill his weekly and daily calendar with timeboxes correlating to each of the tasks that need to be completed.

Once saved this timebox automatically is synced with your Google Calendar and available to view alongside other tasks.

Conclusion

Timeboxing is an incredibly helpful daily practice that can do wonders on both the quality of your work as well as your overall mental state. By utilizing both hard and soft deadlines as well as using goals to serve as checkpoints in an overall project, Teamcal Ai is the best tool for those looking to implement timeboxing in both their personal and professional lives. Work smarter, harder, and with less stress by using Teamcal Ai!

Learn more by scheduling a demo at Teamcal Ai today!