Ditch Your To-Do List and Do This Instead | Sam Corcos | The Tim Ferriss Show

Summary

The transcript discusses a time management strategy where tasks from a to-do list are scheduled on a calendar with estimated completion times. It emphasizes the importance of having 'slack' or unscheduled time in one's day to accommodate unexpected tasks. The speaker shares their experience of reducing slack time as they've become better at estimating task durations. They also advise against using email as a to-do list, suggesting instead to schedule specific time blocks for email and other tasks to reduce stress and increase productivity.

Takeaways

• 🗓️ Schedule tasks on a calendar with estimated completion dates to visualize time constraints.
• 📉 Realize that time is finite, but the number of tasks is infinite; manage accordingly.
• 🔄 During follow-up calls, assess what tasks were completed and why some couldn't fit into the schedule.
• 💡 The purpose of the exercise is to understand that there isn't enough time to do everything, prompting better prioritization.
• 🔑 Aim for a 'slack' or buffer time of about 50% of your day to accommodate unexpected tasks.
• 📈 As you get better at estimating, reduce slack time; the speaker aims for 25% after years of practice.
• 📊 Retroactively update your calendar to refine your time estimation skills.
• 📩 Use email effectively by not treating it as a to-do list, which can cause anxiety.
• 📆 Clear your inbox by scheduling specific time blocks to handle emails, reducing stress.
• 🔄 If a task's timing changes, communicate the new timeline to keep others informed and maintain trust.
• ✅ Directly input new tasks into the calendar instead of using a to-do list to streamline the process.

Q & A

What is the main issue people face with their to-do lists according to the transcript?

People often face the issue of having too many tasks on their to-do list that they believe they can complete within a finite time frame, which usually leads to an unrealistic expectation of what can actually be accomplished.

Why does the process of moving tasks to the calendar not work for some people?

It doesn't work because they find there isn't enough space in their schedule to fit all the items from their to-do list, highlighting the discrepancy between the infinite number of tasks and the finite amount of time available.

What is the significance of having 'slack' in one's daily schedule?

Having 'slack' or extra space in the day is important to accommodate unexpected tasks or interruptions. It helps prevent a cascading effect where one change in the schedule disrupts the entire plan.

What is the recommended percentage of open time in one's daily schedule?

It is recommended to have at least 50% open time in one's daily schedule to ensure there is room for unexpected tasks or changes in plans.

How does the process of estimating time for tasks improve over time?

Over time, as one gets better at estimating the time required for tasks, they can reduce the amount of slack needed in their schedule. This is due to improved accuracy in predicting how long tasks will take.

What is the purpose of having recurring blocks for tasks like email processing in the schedule?

Recurring blocks for tasks like email processing ensure that these necessary activities are consistently allocated time, preventing them from being overlooked or causing stress due to an undifferentiated stack of tasks.

Why is it recommended to skip the to-do list step entirely when a new task comes in?

Skipping the to-do list step is recommended because it avoids the anxiety of having an uncategorized stack of tasks with ambiguous effort levels. Instead, new tasks should immediately be scheduled into the calendar with an estimated time for completion.

How does the process of clearing an inbox relate to scheduling?

Clearing an inbox is related to scheduling because it involves allocating specific time blocks to respond to emails, which helps in managing time effectively and reducing stress from an undifferentiated list of tasks.

What is the benefit of closing the loop when scheduling tasks?

Closing the loop by informing others about the scheduled time to complete a task and updating them if there are changes helps maintain transparency and trust, reducing the stress of ambiguous deadlines.

How should new tasks be handled according to the transcript?

New tasks should be immediately scheduled into the calendar with a specific time block allocated for their completion, rather than being added to a to-do list.