Voice-controlled timers are more efficient than manual input
Thanks to the spread of smartphones and smart speakers, voice-operated systems are becoming increasingly common.
They are especially handy when your hands are full, such as while commuting. That said, at the time of writing, most actions are still faster if you tap directly on your phone.
Even so, there are a few operations where voice input beats manual input, and one of them is setting a timer.
- “OK Google, remind me in one hour.”
- “Hey Siri, set a timer for three minutes.”
- “Alexa, set an alarm for 3 p.m.”
These are the kinds of commands you can give. Instead of opening the clock or timer app and setting it by hand, you can finish in seconds-and because the operation is simple, mistakes are rare. Voice input is one of the most efficient ways to handle timers.
Beyond speed, setting alarms by voice has a powerful impact on task management and on prompting yourself to take action.
Speaking your commitment makes it easier to act on time
When you say out loud what you want or need to do, it is easier to get started and to stay focused once you begin.
Voice-controlling your timer taps into that effect and makes it astonishingly easy to dive in.
For instance, if you say “Set a timer called Admin Work for 25 minutes from now,” your iPhone or Android device will create a timer named “Admin Work.”
That 25-minute block pairs perfectly with the Pomodoro Technique-a classic productivity method that uses timers. Compared with relying on willpower alone, you will find the time more concentrated and effective.
If you struggle to get started, the Pomodoro Technique alone can be a game changer. Please give it a try.
Of course, you can set a timer silently, but speaking the command combines efficient input with the motivational boost of saying your intention out loud.
Schedule the action when you cannot begin right away
I get why voice timers help at the start of a session, but my problem is that I often cannot even reach that starting point.
In that case, try reserving the start itself.
Even deciding “I will work for 25 minutes right now” can take energy. On those days, try telling your assistant, “Start working in five minutes,” and set the timer accordingly. Compared with “right this moment,” you will probably find it much easier to move.
When it does not work
This technique is not a cure-all. For example, if you have built a habit of reflexively silencing alarms without acting, it will be hard to fix that pattern with this method alone.
I can hit the snooze button faster than anyone!
Um… do you actually get up after you press it?
I tend to crawl right back into bed. My quick-draw skills are so good that I can silence it in my sleep.
In those cases, you will need a different tweak.
Task Management Partner helps each client discover self-management techniques that fit them through task design and regular check-ins. Feel free to reach out.
