What’s inside
- Box list — task, time limit, start time, and a written definition of done.
- Stop rule — what you do when the box ends: ship it, book a second box, or drop it.
- Review column — finished, partly, or over, plus the minutes it really took.
- Estimate check — after a week, the gap between your boxes and reality.
Where it comes from: the term “timebox” grew up in software project management. James Martin’s Rapid Application Development (1991) is often cited for it, and agile teams use the same idea for fixed-length sprints. This template applies it to one person’s tasks. For the definition, see the timeboxing glossary entry.
When to use it (and when not)
Use timeboxing for work that expands to fill the time you give it — research, polishing, design exploration, writing first drafts. It is also good for tasks you avoid, because 25 minutes is easier to start than “finish the report.”
Do not timebox work with a hard quality bar you cannot cut, like a tax filing or a security fix. Those need an estimate, not a limit.
How to use it
- Write the task and the box length. 25, 45 or 90 minutes are easy to remember.
- Write “done when…”. A visible result: “three logo sketches photographed”, “outline with headings”.
- Put the box on a clock time, not just a list. A box without a start time is a wish.
- Work until the timer ends. Then stop, even mid-sentence.
- Apply the stop rule. Good enough? Ship. Not yet? Book one more box, smaller. Not worth it? Drop it.
- Log the review in one line. Over a week, this shows which kinds of work you underestimate.
How Needt fills it in
In Needt the estimate field is the box. Type “competitor research, 45 min #Shop” and the task becomes a 45-minute block placed in free time. Put the definition of done in the task notes or as subtasks. Start a Focus session on the block to run the timer and keep focus stats.
When you book a second box, ask the agent instead of hunting for a slot:
The competitor research box ran out. Add one more 25-minute box for it before Thursday.
Needt finds the slot, and if another task has to move, it shows you first.
A worked example
| Box | Time | Done when | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Competitor research | 09:00–09:45 | Table of 5 shops with prices | Partly — 4 shops; second box 25m |
| Logo sketches | 10:00–10:25 | 3 sketches photographed | Finished |
| Proposal draft | 10:30–12:00 | All 5 sections have a first paragraph | Finished at 11:50 |
| Inbox | 13:30–13:55 | Zero flagged emails | Over by 10m |
