FREE GAME - workflow hacks - time boxing versus time batching

yo!

this one’s less about technical wizardry and more about something i’ve been obsessing over since going full-time with music: efficiency.

getting faster at making music comes with time, but i’ve been testing strategies to avoid getting stuck in the “tunnel” tweaking music and actually finish. here are two that have been game-changers:

TIME BOXING (macro structure)

we’ve all heard this: “work expands to fill the time you give it.”

so instead of letting your day blur together, I block out rough time windows. not just for music but for everything I care about getting done.

example of a day:

11–3pm → make music  

4–5pm → eat/make food  

6–7pm → film/post socials  

7–8pm → admin, emails, etc  

this isn’t about rigid schedules but more about focus. pick one thing for each block and go all in. if you finish early, congrats. move on. you just bought yourself time back

bonus stat: your brain works best in 57-minute work sprints with 17-minute breaks

(source: The Muse)

TIME BATCHING (micro focus)

this is the less-talked-about trick — the micro version of time boxing. it’s how i get the most from my studio sessions.

i start the day with a “creative sprint.” fresh ears, WIP check-ins, quick notes on what needs love. then I break the work into focused chunks with rough time caps:

example (use your phone timer!):

• 15 min → fix chords

• 15 min → finish buildup

• 15 min → ear candy/fills

• 12 min → drop mix (initial pass)

  [17 min break]

• 30 min → dial in mix & final touchups

after that, i’ve still got time left to start new ideas. and if i don’t get everything done? no stress. i just don’t let myself spiral into an infinite loop of redoing the same 8 bars for 3 hours straight.

i know this sounds like “productivity bro” stuff but these systems work for highly successful people outside of music.. as artists, the freedom of no boss can turn into chaos real quick. discipline = freedom.

give it a try, tweak it, make it your own how you need to - this is only my second week and it's been game changing for me!

cheers