How I Consistently Manage My Study and Chaotic Work Using AI - Reclaim.ai

In this video, Archer, a third-year medical student, shares his strategy for managing his hectic schedule with the help of AI. He emphasizes the importance of a calendar as a 'single source of truth' and discusses integrating various apps to cover different aspects of his life. Archer introduces 'reclaim,' an application that schedules tasks based on user-defined parameters, ensuring important tasks are not overlooked. He also talks about the limitations of traditional time blocking and how 'reclaim' helps with smart scheduling, protecting time for high-priority habits. The video provides insights into how to use calendars effectively, the concept of buffers to handle unexpected tasks, and the use of task features for optimal time management. Archer concludes by highlighting the benefits of reviewing weekly stats to adjust one's schedule for a balanced life.

Takeaways

• 📅 Use a calendar as a single source of truth to manage all aspects of your life, including work, study, and personal commitments.
• 🗓 Block out non-negotiable events first, such as classes or important meetings, to ensure they are accounted for in your schedule.
• 🔒 Lock important tasks with a shield emoji to prevent them from being rescheduled or overridden by other commitments.
• 🕒 Time block your day to include buffers for unexpected tasks or events that may come up, allowing for flexibility in your schedule.
• 🏋️‍♀️ Prioritize habits like exercise and ensure they are scheduled at a frequency that works for you, even during busy times.
• 🍽️ Ensure you have time for essential daily habits like having lunch, which can be easily overlooked when you're busy.
• 📝 Incorporate a weekly review and other routine tasks into your calendar to maintain consistency and productivity.
• 📈 Use an app like Reclaim to smartly schedule tasks based on your input parameters, reducing the effort of manual scheduling.
• ⏰ Set up tasks with specific time frames and frequency requirements to ensure important study or work gets done.
• 📉 Snooze or adjust tasks within the calendar when you know other commitments will interfere, helping to maintain your schedule's integrity.
• 📊 Review your calendar statistics weekly to understand how you're spending your time and make adjustments to align with your goals.

Q & A

What is the primary tool the speaker uses to manage their schedule and tasks?

The primary tool the speaker uses is a calendar, specifically an application called Reclaim, which helps with smart scheduling based on the parameters set by the user.

How does the speaker ensure they maintain important but not urgent habits like going to the gym?

The speaker uses the Reclaim application to schedule and protect time for these habits. If there's an ultra busy day and a habit gets skipped, the app will adjust and try to fit it in at another optimal time.

What is the significance of having a 'single source of truth' for the speaker's calendar?

Having a 'single source of truth' ensures that the speaker has a central and trusted place to know their commitments and plans, which helps in avoiding double booking and staying organized.

How does the speaker use the weekly view of their calendar?

The speaker uses the weekly view to see the bigger picture and understand how not accomplishing a task on a certain day might impact the rest of the week.

What is the strategy the speaker suggests for dealing with tasks that take longer than expected?

The speaker suggests overestimating the time tasks will take. By scheduling the calendar as if it's going to be the worst day, it becomes a single source of truth and allows for flexibility if more time is available.

How does the speaker use the task feature within Reclaim for studying?

The speaker uses the task feature to automatically find the best time for studying. They input the required study hours and constraints, and Reclaim schedules the study sessions within the personal hours, avoiding work times.

What does the speaker recommend for managing non-negotiable events?

The speaker recommends blocking these events into the calendar and ensuring they are non-moveable to guarantee attendance and prevent scheduling conflicts.

How does the speaker use buffers in their schedule?

The speaker schedules buffers, or empty time slots, to deal with the uncertainty that comes up during the day. These buffers provide wiggle room for unexpected tasks or events.

What is the purpose of the 'shield' and 'free' emoji in Reclaim?

The 'shield' emoji indicates a locked task that cannot be moved, ensuring the speaker will not miss important events. The 'free' emoji indicates a task that can be moved if necessary to accommodate other commitments.

How does the speaker ensure they have enough time for their highest priority habit, which is having lunch every day?

The speaker sets lunch as a high priority habit in Reclaim, which helps protect that time. However, if it's an ultra busy day, the app might remove lunchtime, but the speaker is okay with that exception.

What is the speaker's approach to batching tasks like checking messages?

The speaker schedules specific times, such as a morning or afternoon catch up, to go through all messages received throughout the day on various platforms. This helps to batch tasks and focus on them in one go.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Organizing Life with AI and Calendars

The speaker, a third-year medical student named Archer, discusses the challenges of maintaining daily habits and preparing for important but non-urgent tasks while juggling multiple responsibilities. He introduces his method of organization that relies on a calendar system integrated with various apps to manage different aspects of his life. The importance of having a single source of truth, such as a calendar, is emphasized, along with the need to block time for non-negotiable events and tasks. The video also touches on the limitations of time blocking and the strategy of overestimating task durations to maintain schedule integrity.

05:02

🏋️‍♂️ Using Reclaim for Habits and Task Management

Archer delves into his personal use of the Reclaim app, which assists in smart scheduling based on user-defined parameters. He highlights how Reclaim helps protect time for important habits, such as lunch and exercise, and ensures tasks are scheduled at the most optimal times. The app allows for flexibility, which is crucial for Archer's busy and variable schedule. He also mentions the app's ability to add buffers to events and tasks, which is essential for handling unforeseen interruptions. The summary includes how Archer sets up tasks for study within Reclaim, emphasizing the need for focused and uninterrupted time.

10:03

📅 Calendar Sharing and Task Prioritization

The final paragraph focuses on the professional aspects of using Reclaim, particularly when sharing calendars with others. Archer explains the option to keep specific details of tasks private while signaling busy times to others. He demonstrates how to create and schedule tasks within Reclaim, including setting parameters for time and frequency. The paragraph also covers the app's features for task prioritization, snoozing tasks, and adjusting durations. Archer concludes by mentioning the app's utility in reviewing weekly statistics to assess time management and make necessary adjustments for a desired lifestyle.

Keywords

AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions. In the context of the video, AI is used to automate the organization of the speaker's schedule, ensuring tasks are completed at the most optimal times without manual intervention.

Calendar

A calendar is a system of timekeeping that allows people to organize their schedules and plan future events. In the video, the calendar serves as a 'single source of truth' for the speaker's daily activities, ensuring that all aspects of his life are coordinated and non-negotiable events are accounted for.

Time Blocking

Time blocking is a time management technique where a person divides their day into blocks of time, with each block dedicated to a specific task or activity. The speaker uses time blocking to ensure that important tasks and events are not overlooked and that his day is efficiently organized.

Non-negotiable Events

Non-negotiable events are commitments or tasks that must be fulfilled and cannot be missed or rescheduled. In the video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of placing these events in the calendar to structure his day and ensure that he attends all necessary classes and appointments.

Reclaim

Reclaim is an application mentioned in the video that specializes in smart scheduling. It helps the speaker to manage his tasks and habits by automatically scheduling them at the best possible times, ensuring that important but not urgent tasks, like going to the gym, are not neglected.

Habits

Habits are regular practices or routines that are performed automatically. The video discusses the use of AI to maintain habits such as daily lunch breaks, exercise, and communication with loved ones, which are protected and scheduled by the Reclaim app.

Task Feature

The task feature within the Reclaim app allows the speaker to input tasks that need to be completed, specifying the duration and time frame. The app then automatically finds the best time to schedule these tasks, ensuring they fit into the speaker's calendar without conflict.

Buffer

A buffer is an extra amount of time set aside to deal with unforeseen events or to provide a cushion between tasks. The speaker uses buffers in his schedule to accommodate unexpected tasks or delays, helping to manage the uncertainty that can arise during the day.

Weekly Review

A weekly review is a practice of reflecting on the past week's activities and planning for the upcoming week. The speaker includes a weekly review as one of his habits, which likely involves assessing completed tasks, evaluating his schedule, and making adjustments for future efficiency.

Prioritization

Prioritization is the act of arranging tasks or activities in order of importance. In the video, the speaker uses the Reclaim app to prioritize his habits and tasks, ensuring that the most critical activities are protected in his schedule and less critical ones can be flexibly moved.

Snooze

The snooze function, as used in the context of the Reclaim app, allows the speaker to postpone a task for a set period when it's not feasible to complete it at the scheduled time. This feature helps manage the impact of unexpected interruptions or changes in the schedule.

Highlights

AI is used to organize and manage daily tasks without manual organization.

The importance of having a central calendar to track activities and time.

Integration of multiple apps into a calendar for comprehensive life management.

Using 'Reclaim' application for smart scheduling based on user parameters.

Blocking non-negotiable events in the calendar to ensure time management.

The significance of weekly views in planning and adjusting tasks for the rest of the week.

Combining calendar use with a to-do list for effective task management.

Overestimating task durations to maintain calendar reliability.

The challenge of keeping up with important but not urgent tasks like exercise.

Using 'Reclaim' to protect and ensure the frequency of habits.

Prioritizing habits such as lunch, exercise, and communication to maintain balance.

The use of buffers to deal with daily uncertainties and maintain schedule flexibility.

Automatic scheduling of study time within 'Reclaim' to optimize productivity.

Setting up tasks in 'Reclaim' with specific parameters for personalized scheduling.

The ability to snooze tasks and adjust scheduling within 'Reclaim' to accommodate unforeseen circumstances.

Analyzing weekly stats in 'Reclaim' to evaluate time spent and make necessary adjustments.

The video provides a comprehensive guide on using AI for effective personal and professional time management.