When you are timeboxing tasks you are taking specific blocks of time and spending them doing one task at a time. This works really well for writing and staying focused.
You allot, for instance, an hour to write; and then after that hour take a break and, maybe, make lunch or do your washing. When you return to writing you are refreshed and organized. If you write freelance for different jobs this is a good way to stay on schedule between jobs.
A similar concept is working for 45 minutes and taking 15 minute breaks – every hour. This works very well but a problem can occur, and that’s what Jonas Bonér talks about in this article.
Coming back to a task may require starting up all over again, and that can be the hardest part of getting to work. Once started, it would be nice to keep the flow going and keep things moving.
The solution may be to stop working right in the middle of a task. If you’re coding, as Jonas refers to as an example, you may want to stop working after a failed test. This way when you return you know exactly where to begin again.
There is no decision making required to get started and you are thrown right back into your workflow. This also works for writer’s block.
Give it a shot. Instead of working until you reach a ‘checkpoint’, like the end of a paragraph, set a time and finish exactly when the buzzer sounds. Mid-sentence, mid-task.
How To Keep Your Creative Flow – [JonasBoner]
