Timeboxing

Timeboxing is a time management technique that assigns a fixed, non-negotiable time interval to an activity. When time runs out, the activity ends — regardless of whether it has been completed or not.

How it works #

A maximum duration is defined (15 minutes for a standup, 1 hour for a design meeting, 2 weeks for a sprint) and the constraint is respected. The timebox forces people to focus on the essential, avoiding endless discussions and paralyzing perfectionism.

What it’s for #

In project management, timeboxing underpins the standup meeting (15 minutes maximum), the Scrum sprint (fixed duration), and any well-managed meeting. Without a time constraint, meetings expand to fill all available time — Parkinson’s law applied to meeting rooms.

Why it matters #

A 15-minute standup costs the team 440 hours per year. A 45-minute one costs 1,320. The difference — 880 hours — equals nearly 5 person-months. Timeboxing is not rigidity: it is respect for people’s time.