Most of us struggle to estimate how long a task will take. Whether you assume something will take 15 minutes and it stretches into hours, or overplan due to perfectionism, you're falling into what's known as the planning fallacy. This cognitive bias, identified by psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky, explains why people-especially high achievers-consistently misjudge how long tasks take.

To counteract this, productivity coach Luciana Paulise recommends a method called timeboxing-a technique where you assign specific time blocks on your calendar for each task. Unlike a to-do list, which only records what you should do, timeboxing shows you when you'll actually do it.

She suggests starting by tracking how long tasks really take, then assigning focused 30–45 minute blocks with detailed objectives. For example, instead of "Work on presentation," write "Build presentation outline." This helps combat procrastination and overthinking.

Finally, review your daily outcomes and adjust expectations. Recognizing that perfectionism, not just poor planning, may be the root cause can be transformative. With timeboxing, you reclaim control, improve focus, and discover there’s more time in your day than you think.