What I learnt after 3000 days of scheduling

TL;DR

Dr. Justin Sun shares his experience of working 100 hours a week and provides valuable insights on how to effectively schedule and manage tasks, emphasizing the importance of prioritization and flow.

Transcript

I worked 100 hours a week for over 4 years and it seriously did suck uh but it did get easier week by week once I learned how to manage my time and tasks properly in this video I'm going to tell you how I used to schedule and the problems that started causing and then how I schedule now at the end of the video I'll also give you a summary of all th... Read More

Key Insights

• 📔 Scheduling tasks using a physical notebook hinders flexibility and adjustments when unexpected events occur.
• 😪 Sacrificing sleep for productivity is counterproductive and detrimental to mental and physical health.
• 👻 Overestimating task durations allows for better planning and reduces the stress of falling behind.
• 💐 Understanding personal flow patterns helps in scheduling tasks during optimal cognitive efficiency periods.
• ⌛ Prioritizing tasks based on their importance enables effective time management and goal achievement.
• 👶 Allocating time to improve efficiency and learn new skills contributes to long-term productivity gains.
• 🌸 Picking losses strategically helps to control and recover from setbacks.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did Dr. Sun's extreme work schedule impact his mental and physical health?

Dr. Sun's demanding schedule led to sleep deprivation, emotional fragility, burnout, and depression. He advises against sacrificing sleep and emphasizes the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Q: Why is it important to overestimate the time needed for tasks?

Overestimating the time needed for tasks allows room for unexpected events or adjustments. It avoids the stress of falling behind schedule and provides flexibility to maintain flow and productivity.

Q: What is the significance of flow in time management?

Flow refers to a state of optimal productivity and focus. Dr. Sun discovered that certain times of day, such as mornings, allowed him to work more efficiently. Understanding personal flow patterns helps in scheduling tasks appropriately and maximizing productivity.

Q: How does Dr. Sun prioritize tasks when his schedule is full?

Dr. Sun recommends picking one or two top priorities for the day and organizing the rest of the tasks around them. If there are tasks that cannot fit into the schedule, it indicates the need to improve efficiency or allocate time for learning to become more efficient.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Dr. Justin Sun worked 100 hours a week for over four years, learning valuable lessons on time management and task scheduling.

• He initially used a physical notebook for scheduling but faced challenges in making adjustments and prioritizing tasks.

• Dr. Sun shifted to digital scheduling, prioritized his tasks, and focused on creating flow by considering his cognitive efficiency throughout the day.