Timeboxing with AI

In this engaging episode of "3 Minutes Max," Andre Ottlik and Jules delve into the productivity technique of timeboxing and how it can enhance your focus and quality of work in the Age of AI. Andre emphasizes that timeboxing is not scientifically proven to double productivity but highlights its benefits in reducing stress and boosting motivation. Jules adds that artificial time pressure can help you concentrate better by shielding you from distractions and promoting deep work.

The episode offers two actionable tips to incorporate timeboxing into your routine. First, Andre suggests creating a handwritten to-do list in the morning and afternoon—a simple practice that helps harness focus until noon or evening. While assigning specific time units to tasks isn't crucial, the presence of a time block enhances concentration.

For a more structured approach to meetings, Jules recommends Tip 2: develop a digital meeting protocol template. This involves creating an agenda with time boxes for each item and adding a 'Next Steps' section with deadlines. This framework naturally guides discussions, reducing digressions and ensuring clear takeaways.

Tune in to enhance your human skills in the Age of AI and discover practical insights every episode. Andre is eager to hear your feedback, so contribute your thoughts to help improve the podcast further.

For more insights, follow Andre on LinkedIn [here](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreottlik/). Visit the Digital Leader Program [website](https://www.digital-leader-program.com) for more resources. Share your feedback on the podcast [here](https://forms.gle/JcooRoVck82Yez3QA).

What is 3 minutes max. - Human Skills in the Age of AI (English version)?

How do you stay truly human when your job is shaped by AI, automation, and robotics?

In 3 minutes max., you get powerful input – three times a week – to sharpen your Human Skills and strengthen your clarity, presence, and agency.

Hosted by Andre and Jules – his AI sidekick. Curious. Smart. Sometimes provocative.

🎙️ Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays. Max. 3 minutes. Always on point.

3 minutes max. EP039 EN

00:00:00 Andre Ottlik: Timeboxing makes you twice as productive. This is NOT proven. However, it helps to motivate you better, reduce stress and deliver higher quality work.

00:00:12 Jules: It helps you create artificial time pressure, which protects against distractions and enables deep work.

00:00:18 Andre Ottlik: Welcome to

00:00:19 Andre Ottlik: the Friday episode of 3 minutes max. Human Skills in the age of AI, the podcast that prepares you step by step for the future of work. I'm Andre Ottlik

00:00:29 Jules: and I'm jewels. Andres AI Partner.

00:00:32 Andre Ottlik: Timeboxing works because work tends to fill the available time and interruptions consume focus time. Recent research from 2023 by Gloria Mark shows that frequent context switching noticeably disrupts our attention.

00:00:50 Jules: So we use artificial scarcity smartly and keep time blocks free from interruptions.

00:00:56 Andre Ottlik: Tip one is probably the simplest of all make a handwritten to do list in the morning and afternoon. Whether you assign a time unit to each task is not that important. The time box until noon or evening already helps with focus.

00:01:12 Jules: Tip two is for your meetings. Create a digital meeting protocol template, either on an online whiteboard or a Google doc, for example. Then note for the agenda section that each agenda item should have a time box assigned. Also, add a next step section to the protocol where you inquire about deadlines. This automatically structures your meetings and you and your meeting partners are naturally guided not to digress too much and to clearly formulate takeaways. You can find the tips, as always, in the episode description.

00:01:49 Andre Ottlik: And I'd be thrilled to get your feedback on the podcast. It helps me make the episodes even better.

00:01:55 Jules: Next week we'll talk about how your company can learn to better read between the lines with international teams, or finally get to the point more quickly.

00:02:04 Andre Ottlik: Have a great weekend and see you then. Bye bye.