Do you ever wish there were more than 24 hours in the day? 

Do you feel like you’re working tirelessly but not reaching your full potential? 

As a leader, do you find it challenging to balance hands-on development with an array of additional responsibilities?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you’re not alone. In the fast-paced world of engineering, where innovation and productivity are paramount, the constant struggle with time is a common challenge. We all aspire to reach our full potential and advance in our careers, yet the elusive resource of time often holds us back from implementing our best ideas.

In this article, I want to share with you two powerful strategies that have not only worked for me but have also empowered countless engineers to reclaim control over their time and productivity: Time Boxing and Daily Notes. These techniques are not just theoretical concepts; they are practical tools that can help you stay focused, prioritise effectively, and ultimately unlock your full potential.

What is Time Boxing?

Time Boxing is a powerful time management technique that involves allocating a fixed amount of time to work on a specific task or set of tasks. It’s like putting your work into a metaphorical “box” with a strict time limit. This approach helps engineers, and professionals in various fields, maintain focus, enhance productivity, and efficiently manage their daily responsibilities.

Time Boxing for developers

As a developer, harnessing the power of Time Boxing was helpful in improving my efficiency. Here’s a glimpse into my own journey, sharing the steps I followed in past and the remarkable results I experienced:

1. Planning Day in Advance: My day always began with a well-defined plan of what I intended to achieve. Having a clear roadmap was crucial, especially when juggling multiple tasks of varying complexities. For instance, I often had both complex projects and urgent bug fixes on my plate. 
2. Divide and Conquer: Breaking down big and complex tasks into smaller, manageable chunks helped. These were tasks that I could reasonably complete within one time slot, which typically ranged from 1 to 2 hours.
3. Schedule Time Slots: Before diving into my work, I allocated specific time slots for each task in my calendar. These slots were not just arbitrary; they were carefully planned and added to my calendar. I knew exactly what portion of a task I aimed to complete during each time slot.
4. Morning Planning: The beginning of my workday, lasting around 15 to 30 minutes, was reserved for reading emails and notifications, and most importantly, creating a detailed plan for the day. This ritual served as a compass, helping me navigate the day’s challenges and setting clear priorities.
5. Time Slot Buffers: Leaving a buffer of at least 15 minutes between each time slot acted as a safety net, ready to catch any task overflows, unexpected interruptions, or new notifications that might crop up during my focused work.
6. Minimize Distractions: Maintaining focus during dedicated time slots meant minimizing distractions. I turned off communication tools like Slack or set my status to “Do Not Disturb.” Finding a quiet workspace or donning a pair of headphones helped me focus.
7. Emergency Protocols: In case of genuine emergencies, such as P1 (Priority 1) issues, I made it clear to my team that they can reach me through alternate means, such as a phone call. This ensured that critical matters were addressed while I stayed focused during my time slots.

By following this Time Boxing technique, you’ll be amazed at how much more you can achieve in a structured workday. It allows you to maintain focus, prioritize effectively, and systematically tackle even the most demanding tasks in your development journey.

Time Boxing in Leadership and Senior Roles

Time Boxing is a real game-changer, especially as you transition into more senior roles that come with a broader range of responsibilities beyond hands-on development. Here’s how Time Boxing became my ally as I stepped into senior engineering and leadership positions:

1. Start Your Day with a Plan: I learned early on that beginning the workday without a clear plan in senior roles is like sailing without a compass. It requires a structured approach. So, I made it a daily ritual to break down my work into specific tasks and slot them into my calendar.
2. Efficiently Manage Multiple Teams: As I took on the responsibility of overseeing multiple teams, time segmentation in my calendar became my lifeline. It is the key to managing context switching effectively, allowing me to offer guidance and support where needed.
3. Handling Ad Hoc Work: Climbing the career ladder meant encountering a substantial amount of ad hoc work throughout the day. While it’s normal not to finish everything, my goal is to minimize the disruption caused by these unexpected tasks in my daily schedule.
4. Preserving Time for Development: Time Boxing proved invaluable in securing precious hours for hands-on development. I set aside dedicated slots, typically an hour or two, for focused coding. Finding a quiet corner to immerse myself in development tasks during these periods helps in actually getting development done.
5. Miscellaneous Work Slot: Senior roles inevitably come with an array of small tasks that don’t demand much time individually. Rather than allocating separate slots for each of them, I carve out a “miscellaneous work” slot. This slot becomes the go-to place to efficiently handle all those quick but essential tasks together.

By embracing these Time Boxing techniques in senior roles, I am able to maintain a structured and balanced schedule. It ensures that I could allocate time for critical tasks, including hands-on development, while effectively guiding my team and addressing the unexpected demands that come with the territory.

Daily Note-Taking for Time Management

In the world of leadership and senior roles, maintaining a daily record can be a game-changer. You might have noticed that many successful leaders, in various industries, swear by their diaries or digital note-taking tools. It’s not just a trend; it’s a powerful technique for staying focused and organized in the midst of numerous responsibilities.

Choosing Your Note-Taking Medium

While physical diaries work wonders for some, digital notes are the go-to choice for many, including myself. Digital notes offer several advantages, such as the ability to review meeting notes, easy access from anywhere, and effortless searching of past notes. Personally, I rely on Google Docs for my daily notes, where each day’s entry comes above the previous day’s. I keep pending tasks highlighted and remove the highlight once they’re completed.

Capturing Tasks and Ideas

One of the primary benefits of maintaining daily notes is the peace of mind it provides. Whenever a task or idea crosses my path, I quickly jot it down in my notes. This simple act ensures that I won’t forget it amidst the whirlwind of daily tasks and responsibilities.

Agendas for Important Meetings

For crucial meetings, maintaining an agenda in my notes is a lifesaver. It allows me to organize and list all the points I want to discuss, sparing me from the burden of keeping them in my mind for days leading up to the meeting. This practice also helps alleviate the stress associated with important meetings, especially when dealing with significant stakeholders.

Recording Meeting Minutes

During discussions and meetings, I make it a habit to write down minutes or key points in my notes. This serves as a reliable reference for future needs and allows me to fully engage in the discussion without the worry of forgetting crucial details.

Daily note-taking, whether in physical diaries or digital platforms, helps leaders maintain clarity, focus, and control over their tasks and commitments. It’s a simple yet effective practice that can make a world of difference in managing your time and staying on top of your game, even in the most demanding leadership roles.

Closing notes

In the dynamic field of engineering, where time is both a precious resource and a constant challenge, mastering the art of time management is essential. Time Boxing and daily note-taking are not just tools; they are your secret weapons in the pursuit of personal and professional growth. Whether you’re a developer aiming to enhance your productivity or a senior leader striving to maintain balance and strategic focus, these techniques can be your guiding stars.

By implementing Time Boxing, you can break down your work into manageable segments, allocate dedicated development time, and navigate the complexities of senior roles with grace. And by embracing daily note-taking, you’ll maintain clarity, capture important tasks and ideas, and excel in meetings and discussions.

Remember, these techniques are not one-size-fits-all. Experiment, adapt, and discover what works best for you. With commitment and practice, you’ll find yourself accomplishing more, staying focused, and reaching new heights in your engineering career.

So, are you ready to take control of your time and unlock your full potential? The power is in your hands, and the journey begins now.