We’ve all been there.
You have a project that needs to be completed by the end of the day.
You block off an hour for a “quick” project. An hour later, you’ve barely started—and the rest of your day is wrecked.
You wish you could do a better job of estimating how long projects will take, so you can plan your time effectively.
There’s hope. You can improve your ability to estimate time.
Ready to learn some tips to do a better job?
Why We’re So Bad at Time Estimates
This happens to all of us—and it’s not just bad luck. It’s human nature to underestimate time.
As human beings, we are notoriously bad at estimating how long tasks will take. We almost always underestimate, rather than overestimate.
“Usually, the actual time it takes to complete the tasks you’ve planned will be much longer than what you’ve estimated.”
David Kadavy, Mind Management, Not Time Management
In view of that reality, what are some of the things that we can do to better estimate and manage our time?
Six Practical Ways to Improve Your Estimates
• Double Your First Estimate. Compensate your tendency to underestimate by doubling (or even tripling) the time you plan to complete a project. Our brains naturally overlook hidden steps—such as setup, interruptions, or cleanup—that add minutes or hours. By doubling the estimate, you give yourself enough time to finish the project or task.
If you have free time left over, you can take a break.
Or, you can work on something else.
• Plan Tomorrow’s Tasks Tonight. In the morning, when you’re full of energy and motivation, you think you can do much more than you can. When you’re tired, you’re less optimistic and more realistic about what can get done.
• Limit Yourself to Three Tasks Per Day. Limiting tasks will help you avoid underestimating how much time individual tasks will take. Don’t overload yourself by putting too many things on your “must do” list for the day.
If you have time left after completing your three tasks, you can use your task manager as a “list of lists” of things that you can do to make use of the extra time in your day.
• Work During Your Peak Energy Hours. This is the time of day when you have the most energy. For many people, it’s in the morning, but for some it’s in the late evening or the afternoon.
“You’ll accomplish a lot more when you work on your most important and meaningful tasks when you have the most energy.”
Chris Bailey, The Productivity Project
• Start Projects Earlier Than You Think. Begin tasks well in advance of their due dates. Work on them during short periods over time. When you’re ready to finish, you will already have much of the work done, and it will take you less time to complete it.
Bonus beneft: By starting early and revisiting a task or project, you’ll gain the benefits of incubation. You’ll produce better work.
Here’s an example: My blog posts often begin long before they are due to be written. I start with recording an idea and a few notes.
When I select that idea to turn into a blog post, I begin constructing a mind map in the MindNode app. I’ll come back to it multiple times to think about it, rearrange thoughts, and add ideas that have been forming in my subconscious in the meantime.
When the time comes to actually write the blog post, I already have a big head start on it.
• Experience Sharpens Your Estimates. You will likely underestimate the times for projects when you begin, but with experience, you’ll get better at estimating how much time you’ll need to complete a project.
Start Improving Your Estimates This Week
Following these tips should help you do a better job of estimating how long a project will take to complete.
You won’t eliminate underestimation entirely—it’s human nature—but you can get a lot better.
Choose two of these tips to test this week. Notice how your day feels when your time blocks finally fit reality.
AI Note: I wrote this blog post myself, using my own words and thoughts for the initial draft. I used AI only to suggest headlines, section headings, images, and text improvements.
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