There was a time in my life when I felt like the days were just… slipping away.

I’d wake up with a vague idea of what I wanted to accomplish. But by bedtime, I’d wonder where the hours had gone. It wasn’t that I wasn’t doing anything—I was busy. Emails, calls, errands, a little writing here and there. But I wasn’t doing the things that really mattered to me. The things I said I valued—like writing intentionally, being present, exercising daily, or having meaningful conversations—kept getting pushed to “tomorrow.”

That’s when I stumbled across the concept of timeboxing.

And it changed everything.

What Is Timeboxing?

Timeboxing is a simple, powerful productivity method where you assign fixed blocks of time to specific tasks or priorities. Instead of letting your to-do list rule the day—or worse, letting the day rule you—you proactively decide whenyou’ll do what.

You don’t just write down, “Work on chapter 10,” or “Go for a walk.” You actually schedule it. For example:

• 8:00–9:00 AM – Write 1,000 words
• 9:00–9:30 AM – Morning walk with the dogs
• 10:00–11:00 AM – Prescott Meals on Wheels board work
• 3:00–3:30 PM – Call with a friend
• 7:00–8:00 PM – Reading for pleasure
• 
  

It’s like creating an intentional outline for your day—with room to breathe, adjust, and even pause.

Why Timeboxing Works

There’s a psychological magic to timeboxing.

It gives your day a structure that supports focus and flow. When you know exactly what you’re doing and when, you stop wasting energy deciding. You stop drifting. You stop reacting to the urgent at the expense of the important.

And here’s the beautiful part: you actually start doing the things that align with your purpose.

Timeboxing doesn’t mean every moment is scheduled down to the second. It’s not about perfection or rigidity. It’s about protecting time for what matters, being fully present in that block, and moving through your day with intention.

My Personal Experience with Timeboxing

I first tried timeboxing after reading a short piece on how Elon Musk structures his day in five-minute increments. That was too intense for me—but the concept made sense.

So I created a basic template for my mornings:

• 6:30–7:00 AM – Morning reflection, coffee, gratitude
• 7:00–7:45 AM – Writing time (working on a new book or blog post)
• 8:00–9:00 AM – Walk and exercise
• 9:00–10:30 AM – Admin tasks, calls, or consulting
• 
  

It felt awkward at first. But something surprising happened. I started looking forward to my mornings. I stopped checking email first thing. I knew exactly what mattered most, and I gave myself permission to fully focus on it.

Over time, timeboxing gave my life a rhythm. And that rhythm gave me momentum. One block at a time, I built days that felt aligned—not just efficient, but meaningful.

Practical Tips to Start Timeboxing

If you’re curious about trying timeboxing, here are 7 practical tips to get started:

1.  Start Small

Don’t try to timebox your entire day from sunrise to bedtime. Start with one or two important blocks. Pick one in the morning and one in the afternoon, and use them to protect your highest priorities.

For example:

• Morning: 8:00–9:00 AM for creative work
• Afternoon: 2:00–3:00 PM for deep focus or learning
• 
  

2.  Use a Paper Planner or Digital Calendar

You can use whatever tool works for you—Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, or even a simple paper notebook. The key is to see your time visually blocked.

I often use color coding: blue for writing, green for health, orange for meetings, and yellow for reflection or downtime.

3.  Treat Time Blocks Like Appointments

If you had a doctor’s appointment at 10:00 AM, you wouldn’t skip it just because your inbox was full. Timeboxing works best when you treat those blocks like firm commitments—with yourself.

Honor the time. Start when you say you will. Stop when it ends. Don’t multitask. Be all in.

4.  Include Buffer Time

This is one of the biggest mistakes people make when trying timeboxing for the first time. They schedule back-to-back tasks with no breathing room.

Build in 10–15 minutes between blocks for transitions, short breaks, or the unexpected. Life happens.

5.  Timebox the Fun Stuff, Too

Timeboxing isn’t just for work. Use it to protect time for what refuels you:

• Reading
• Journaling
• Calling a friend
• Playing with your grandkids
• Sitting on the deck with coffee and watching the sunrise

When you schedule these moments, they become more than an afterthought. They become part of the life you’re building.

6.  Be Flexible, Not Rigid

Timeboxing isn’t about control; it’s about clarity.

Some days, life throws curveballs. That’s okay. If a block gets interrupted, reschedule it. If something urgent arises, adjust your plan. The point is to be intentional, not inflexible.

7.  Review and Reset Daily

At the end of each day, take five minutes to review:

• What worked today?
• What didn’t?
• What do I want to timebox tomorrow?

This short daily reflection keeps you aligned with your goals and helps you refine your routine over time.

The Deeper Meaning of Timeboxing

Timeboxing isn’t just a productivity hack—it’s a way of honoring your time and, by extension, your life.

When we don’t decide how we’ll spend our time, someone else will. Emails, social media, random requests, the news cycle—it all creeps in.

But when we timebox, we say: This hour matters. This task is worth my focus. This moment deserves my presence.

We become stewards of our own attention.

And in doing so, we live not by default, but by design.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve ever ended a day wondering where your time went… if you’ve struggled to prioritize what truly matters… if you want to feel more aligned, focused, and present—give timeboxing a try.

You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight. Start with one block. One intention. One hour well spent.

Timeboxing helped me write books, build better habits, deepen relationships, and protect my mornings. But more than that—it reminded me that how I spend my time is ultimately how I spend my life.

And I want that life to be fully lived, not vaguely remembered.