Time boxing is an effective method of attacking nagging tasks and to dos on your list. Instead of working at a task until it is completed, you time box the task by setting a fixed period of time that you will work on it. You then continue to create boxes of time throughout your work week until the task or project is complete. For virtual assistants, this can be a very effective way of working on simultaneously managing multiple clients and their important action items.

Tasks and project sizes vary

Tasks come in all sizes. There are always a number of small tasks, that over time add up. Additionally there are larger tasks or projects that will require hours of effort to complete. By time boxing tasks and projects by client or project, you’ll complete many small tasks each day and steadily chunk away at your larger projects.

A Virtual Assistant Time Boxing Model

In the sample table below, a possible virtual assistant time boxing model for client task and project activity is presented. Client C has a large upcoming event. Rather than spending time working through all the event planning tasks at one sitting, they are spaced out in time boxes across the week. Other client projects and tasks can be interspersed, leaving room to manage multiple clients, projects and tasks simultaneously. Time is also boxed for the VA to have time to manage administrative items in their own practice as well. Editor’s note – time is left open on the sample time boxing schedule below for stretch/walk breaks, lunch, returning phone calls, unplanned urgent items and the like.

Sample Virtual Assistant Time Boxing Model

The template can be modified to reflect activity for each Virtual Assistant on your team, used in solo if you are an individual practitioner and the time slots modified to fit your practice’s particular needs.

Analog methodology

For me, time boxing works best as an analog component of my planning tools. That is, I prefer to map or grid out my time boxing on a weekly planner or other paper form. It works best for me for 2 reasons: 1) I can much more completely own and internalize my plan and 2) Client priorities change — if my schedule is in pencil it’s easy for me to erase and modify on the fly as needed.

Time Boxing links to extend your understanding

15 Time Boxing Strategies to Get Things Done

Use Timeboxing to Slay the Perfectionist Beast

TimeBoxing

How to use Time Boxing for Getting Results

Time Boxing – An Effective Getting Things Done Strategy

Timeboxing: A Critical Agile Work Practice

Time-boxing Your Way to Quick Decisions

Time Boxing (a Slideshare presentation)

My Time Boxing by Dextronet Software

Image “time” by Flickr user aaroncoyle

About the author:  At Your Service Cincinnati principal Nora Rubinoff’s core virtual assistant services include social media management, WordPress support, online reputation management, project management, customer relationship management, customized e-mail marketing campaigns and productivity enhancement. Nora is a Mac and PC specialist. Nora is enthusiastic about architecting solutions that enable clients to make more out of their business day. Nora is a recipient of the Karen S. House Award for Regional Collaboration as well as the Women of Excellence Award, several state and local government proclamations and holds the IVAA EthicsCheck™ certification. Nora is a past board member for IVAA and serves on several community advisory boards. Read more from this author

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