Project Managers, Unlock the Power of Timeboxing
Summary. Modern work is inherently project-based and collaborative. We are all project managers to some extent. From film directors and restaurant owners to lawyers and accountants, many professions involve managing projects. For everyone, not just project managers, mastering timeboxing can be a gateway to bridging the gap between intention and execution. You’re probably already timeboxing, at least a little. In a nutshell, it means focusing on one task — and one task only — for an allotted time. Project managers who learn to embrace this keystone skill can enjoy increased productivity and stand to witness a transformative impact on projects.
Project managers are business’s great all-rounders. They need to be strong with numbers, planning, and people. It’s one of those disciplines that we struggle to classify as a hard (technical) skill or a soft (people) skill, as it falls right down the middle.
Globally, we spend $48 trillion on projects each year. We are all project managers to some extent. From film directors and restaurant owners to lawyers and accountants, many professions involve managing projects. And every project needs monitoring, supervision, and completion — in other words, they need to be project-managed.
The role of the project manager is changing. AI is set to have a major impact on project management. Gartner predicts that by 2030, 80% of projects will be run by AI (and note that projection was made before the rapid rise of generative AI this year). So, both dedicated project managers and those managing projects as part of their roles must introspect to identify and acquire the most valuable skills for the future.
Timeboxing, in particular — the practice of completing tasks with focus and within set timeframes — is a special, evergreen capability for all project managers. We will see that timeboxing lies right at the heart of project management and that better timeboxing begets better project management, and vice versa.
