This is Elon Musk. He runs 5 billion-dollar companies, has 11 kids,...
EDDIE CHENG@ecomEddie
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Apr 03, 2024
~6 min read
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This is Elon Musk.
He runs 5 billion-dollar companies, has 11 kids, and still has time to sh*tpost on Twitter.
I had to know how he manages his time.
Here’s what I found:
He runs 5 billion-dollar companies, has 11 kids, and still has time to sh*tpost on Twitter.
I had to know how he manages his time.
Here’s what I found:
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Time is the very fabric our lives are woven from. How you spend your days is how you spend your years.
We each have around 4,000 weeks in our lives—which is not a lot.
The best time managers recognize the scarcity of this resource:
We each have around 4,000 weeks in our lives—which is not a lot.
The best time managers recognize the scarcity of this resource:
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One common mistake is trying to gain total mastery and control over time.
We often feel if we just optimize enough, we can bend time to our will.
But this is an impossible feat—time will always march on.
So, how do you break free from the time-wasting trap?
We often feel if we just optimize enough, we can bend time to our will.
But this is an impossible feat—time will always march on.
So, how do you break free from the time-wasting trap?
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First, gain self-awareness by tracking your time for a week.
Write your activities every 30 minutes & rate how they made you feel on a 1-10 scale.
This illuminates how much time you spend on unfulfilling activities you aren't even aware of.
Knowledge is power.
Write your activities every 30 minutes & rate how they made you feel on a 1-10 scale.
This illuminates how much time you spend on unfulfilling activities you aren't even aware of.
Knowledge is power.
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Next, analyze your time-tracking data to find insights:
• Which activities rated the highest in satisfaction?
• Where are you spending inordinate amounts of time?
• What patterns arise in your time usage?
Dig up the truth about how you spend your days.
• Which activities rated the highest in satisfaction?
• Where are you spending inordinate amounts of time?
• What patterns arise in your time usage?
Dig up the truth about how you spend your days.
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Chart Your Course
Armed with that awareness, be proactive about designing your time. Prioritize activities that:
• Align with your values
• Bring you joy
• Move you toward your goals
Create a hierarchy to utilize your precious hours effectively.
Armed with that awareness, be proactive about designing your time. Prioritize activities that:
• Align with your values
• Bring you joy
• Move you toward your goals
Create a hierarchy to utilize your precious hours effectively.
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Cluster, Don't Scatter
Streamline your schedule by batching similar tasks together.
Block off chunks of time for different focuses—meetings, emails, errands. This limits context-switching costs so you can find your flow.
Clustering tasks is a game-changer for time management.
Streamline your schedule by batching similar tasks together.
Block off chunks of time for different focuses—meetings, emails, errands. This limits context-switching costs so you can find your flow.
Clustering tasks is a game-changer for time management.
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Learn to Monotask
Multitasking is a myth. Research shows task-switching can cost up to 40% of your productive time.
When we try to do multiple things at once, we do them all poorly. Instead, embrace monotasking.
Dedicate yourself to one task at a time for peak mastery and flow.
Multitasking is a myth. Research shows task-switching can cost up to 40% of your productive time.
When we try to do multiple things at once, we do them all poorly. Instead, embrace monotasking.
Dedicate yourself to one task at a time for peak mastery and flow.
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Defend Your Downtime
Rest and play aren't mere rewards for productivity—they're fuel for it.
Your worth isn't measured by output alone. You're a human being, not a machine. Prioritize self-care to prevent burnout and spark creativity.
Treat rest as a necessity, not a luxury:
Rest and play aren't mere rewards for productivity—they're fuel for it.
Your worth isn't measured by output alone. You're a human being, not a machine. Prioritize self-care to prevent burnout and spark creativity.
Treat rest as a necessity, not a luxury:
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Self-Compassion > Perfection
The path to optimal time management is paved with trial and error.
You'll never have a perfect streak of optimized days—and that's okay. On your off days, speak to yourself kindly as you would a friend.
Aim for aligned action over flawless execution.
The path to optimal time management is paved with trial and error.
You'll never have a perfect streak of optimized days—and that's okay. On your off days, speak to yourself kindly as you would a friend.
Aim for aligned action over flawless execution.
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And always make sure to sync goals, key dates, and deadlines into a digital calendar.
I use tools like Sunsama to conveniently plan and access my schedule on the go.
I’m 10x better at managing my time because of it.
Interested? Read until the end…
I use tools like Sunsama to conveniently plan and access my schedule on the go.
I’m 10x better at managing my time because of it.
Interested? Read until the end…
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Decide What You're Willing To Be Bad At
Striving for excellence in everything leads to excellence in nothing. Choose a few key areas to master and let go of the rest.
Ex: Keep a tidy drawer or crush it at work?
Choose where you'll be "just fine" to thrive where it matters most.
Striving for excellence in everything leads to excellence in nothing. Choose a few key areas to master and let go of the rest.
Ex: Keep a tidy drawer or crush it at work?
Choose where you'll be "just fine" to thrive where it matters most.
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Leverage Automations
Look for opportunities to automate and outsource repeating tasks. This could mean:
• Setting bills on auto-pay
• Hiring a housecleaner
• Using an AI assistant
Every chore outsourced is time saved for what matters most. Work smarter, not just harder.
Look for opportunities to automate and outsource repeating tasks. This could mean:
• Setting bills on auto-pay
• Hiring a housecleaner
• Using an AI assistant
Every chore outsourced is time saved for what matters most. Work smarter, not just harder.
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Stop Borrowing Time From Your Future Self
Procrastination is the ultimate high-interest loan.
The time you "save" now will be paid back tenfold in stress and lost opportunities.
Spend your time like you'd spend your money - wisely and within your means.
Procrastination is the ultimate high-interest loan.
The time you "save" now will be paid back tenfold in stress and lost opportunities.
Spend your time like you'd spend your money - wisely and within your means.
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Manage Your Energy, Not Just Your Time
Your hours are only as good as the vitality you bring to them.
• Prioritize sleep and exercise
• Take regular breaks to recharge
• Notice your natural rhythms and plan accordingly
Productivity flows from well-being.
Your hours are only as good as the vitality you bring to them.
• Prioritize sleep and exercise
• Take regular breaks to recharge
• Notice your natural rhythms and plan accordingly
Productivity flows from well-being.
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Make Friends With Limits
Stop fighting your limits and start using them to your advantage.
Constraints drive creativity. Deadlines boost motivation.
A man with limits gets more done than a man without one.
Stop fighting your limits and start using them to your advantage.
Constraints drive creativity. Deadlines boost motivation.
A man with limits gets more done than a man without one.
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Understand The Planning Fallacy
We chronically underestimate how long things will take and overestimate our ability to get things done.
That’s why it’s vital to pad your estimates, block buffer time, and expect the unexpected.
Real life does not respect your schedule.
We chronically underestimate how long things will take and overestimate our ability to get things done.
That’s why it’s vital to pad your estimates, block buffer time, and expect the unexpected.
Real life does not respect your schedule.
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Busy ≠ Productive
Business is often used as a proxy for productivity.
But true productivity is measured by results, not hours logged.
Focus on outcomes, not optics.
Business is often used as a proxy for productivity.
But true productivity is measured by results, not hours logged.
Focus on outcomes, not optics.
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Conduct Regular Time Audits
Just like budgeting money, awareness is the first step to changing habits.
• Review how you've spent your time
• Celebrate progress and wins
• Course correct where needed
Small tweaks made consistently create big shifts over time.
Just like budgeting money, awareness is the first step to changing habits.
• Review how you've spent your time
• Celebrate progress and wins
• Course correct where needed
Small tweaks made consistently create big shifts over time.
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The Power Of Routines
“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” - James Clear.
• A weekly reflection for clarity.
• A morning routine for a day of intention.
• An evening routine for a night of peaceful rest.
What are your habits?
“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” - James Clear.
• A weekly reflection for clarity.
• A morning routine for a day of intention.
• An evening routine for a night of peaceful rest.
What are your habits?
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Avoid The Sunk Cost Fallacy
Don't keep investing time into things that aren't serving you, just because you already started.
Be willing to quit projects, relationships, and commitments that no longer make sense.
Your time is too precious for the wrong things.
Don't keep investing time into things that aren't serving you, just because you already started.
Be willing to quit projects, relationships, and commitments that no longer make sense.
Your time is too precious for the wrong things.
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Learn to Be Unavailable
Constant availability is a recipe for constant distractions. The best time managers
• Set boundaries with others
• Create sacred time for focused work
• Embrace JOMO (The Joy Of Missing Out)
Protect your time like you would any other valuable resource.
Constant availability is a recipe for constant distractions. The best time managers
• Set boundaries with others
• Create sacred time for focused work
• Embrace JOMO (The Joy Of Missing Out)
Protect your time like you would any other valuable resource.
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Master The Art of ‘No’
Saying no to the non-essential gives you the freedom to say yes to work that moves the needle.
Practice saying no kindly but firmly. Offer alternative solutions where appropriate
Safeguard your time and energy for your true priorities.
Saying no to the non-essential gives you the freedom to say yes to work that moves the needle.
Practice saying no kindly but firmly. Offer alternative solutions where appropriate
Safeguard your time and energy for your true priorities.
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Don't Let Perfectionism Paralyze You
Perfectionism is the enemy of done.
Choose progress over perfection. An imperfect action beats a perfect plan any day.
Start small, start messy, but start.
Perfectionism is the enemy of done.
Choose progress over perfection. An imperfect action beats a perfect plan any day.
Start small, start messy, but start.
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Time management is ultimately life management.
It's not about cramming more into each day.
It's about being intentional with the time we have.
When you pull this off, you’ll find that your life feels expansive and meaningful on its own.
It's not about cramming more into each day.
It's about being intentional with the time we have.
When you pull this off, you’ll find that your life feels expansive and meaningful on its own.
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However, remember you can't do it all. You can't control time.
But you CAN choose what matters most, and build your life around it.
Your time is your most precious resource.
Guard it fiercely. Invest it wisely—because it’s the one thing you can’t increase.
But you CAN choose what matters most, and build your life around it.
Your time is your most precious resource.
Guard it fiercely. Invest it wisely—because it’s the one thing you can’t increase.
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If you got something from this...
Join Eddie’s Extracts to get daily emails about how to achieve your goals quickly and effortlessly: join.eddiecheng.com
And if you want to check out the digital daily planner I use, click the link below: try.sunsama.com/okd5s7a2i1mx
Join Eddie’s Extracts to get daily emails about how to achieve your goals quickly and effortlessly: join.eddiecheng.com
And if you want to check out the digital daily planner I use, click the link below: try.sunsama.com/okd5s7a2i1mx