🤸 Time management systems, Ali Abdaal’s Trident method, & sh*tty ideas

Hey — it’s Cristina & Jenni.

Each week, we share leadership reflections, resources, and laughs to help you excel in your role (+ have fun along the way).

As two tech leaders, we’re here to “lead in public” by sharing what we’re learning in our day-to-day roles, encouraging others to do the same, and learning and growing as leaders together.

Enjoy!

What we’re reflecting on this week

Time seems to be on everyone's minds this week.

From Sahil Bloom’s thought-provoking Twitter thread on time as our most valuable asset,

to Molly Graham’s insightful article on aligning how we spend our time with strategic work priorities,

and YouTube’s Ali Abdaal’s video on his Trident calendar system for efficient time management…

It’s clear that we’re all seeking better ways to make the most of our most valuable non-renewable resource.

And in this era of increased productivity, the focus isn’t just on working harder but on working smarter - using our time more deliberately to achieve our goals.

I think we all understand the benefits of refining our time management practices to achieve things like:

• Clearer priorities

• Increased productivity

• Less stress

• Better decision making

• Fewer meetings (hopefully)

• A greater sense of balance and fulfillment

But what I’ve come to realize is that, without defining a system that works for you, achieving your priorities remains an uphill battle.

As James Clear wisely says:

It may seem obvious, but it's not uncommon for our work priorities to be misaligned with how we actually spend our time.

It’s easy to become overwhelmed with the endless amount of new methods to try instead of intentionally developing your own personalized approach.

And while it’s crucial to experiment and expose yourself to different systems, the best system is one that works for you.

So, where should you begin?

Drawing on Ali Abdaal’s and Molly Graham’s insights, we recommend taking some time this week to reevaluate your time management approach for a more balanced and effective system.

Here’s a starting point:

1. Clearly define your strategic priorities around work, health, and relationships

2. Plan for your:

   • Ideal year (an intimidating but powerful exercise)

   • Ideal week (analyze and adjust your meetings, while adding new activities based on step 1)

   • Given day (make sure you schedule time for all of your priorities)

3. Organize your calendar using the above view (Ali offers free templates to help you get started)

4. Schedule a calendar review every 2-3 months to track your progress, evaluate your system’s effectiveness, and identify areas for improvement.

Remember - no fancy Notion template or YouTube video can magically create the perfect time management system for you.

The first step starts with you - gaining clarity on your priorities and translating them into your calendar system.

Once you've built a solid foundation, refining your approach using techniques and ideas that have worked for others becomes much simpler.

Not the other way around.

→ What is your go-to time management system? And what challenges do you face the most?

What we’re learning this week

• 📽️ Ali Abdaal’s latest YouTube video - Ali breaks down his Trident method, passed down from his CEO coach. Check it out and snatch his free templates referenced above.

• 🧵 Sahil’s thread on the concept of Time Billionaire - This thought-provoking thread reminds us to use our time wisely and find joy in everyday moments.

• ✍️ Molly Graham’s article on planning your calendar as a leader - We enjoyed Molly’s reflections on the importance of time management and her approach to help you create your own effective systems.

What we’re enjoying this week

“Judge me for how good my good ideas are, not how bad my bad ideas are.”

That’s it for this week — thanks for reading.

See you next Thursday! 🤸‍♀️