Setting Up a Time Management System That Works

I've tried the fancy productivity systems, but here's what works: This 3x5 notecard... Each evening, I sit down at my desk and write down the 3-5 highest impact to-dos for the following day. These are the "important" tasks that directly contribute to my long-term projects or goals. The list is pure—I specifically avoid writing down all of the miscellaneous urgent and unimportant to-dos (more on that later). In the morning, I sit down at my desk for my first focus work block and start at the top of the list, working my way down and crossing off the important items as I get through them. My primary goal is to cross each item off the list by the end of the day. I am intentionally conservative in the number of items I write on the list. It's usually 3, sometimes 4, and very rarely 5. I never want to end the day with open items, so being conservative helps me accomplish that (and get the extra rush from getting through more than I expected). As I go through the day, I stole an idea from Marc Andreessen to use the back of the card to write down and cross off any minor to-dos that I complete (the urgent or unimportant tasks that are not welcome on the front of the card). The process of writing and crossing off an item on the back of the card is a further boost of momentum, so I find it to be a worthwhile exercise. My notecard productivity system is painfully simple, but it's grounded in five powerful realizations: 1. 15 minutes of prep in the evening is worth hours the next morning. By setting out your priority tasks the night before, you eliminate any friction from having to decide what to work on. You hit the ground sprinting. 2. Important > Urgent. By tackling the important to start the day, you guarantee progress against the big picture projects and goals. If my day went to hell after that morning focus block (which it sometimes does with a 1-year-old at home!), it would be ok, because I know I've gotten through much of my important work. 3. Momentum is everything. Crossing important items off your list to start the day immediately creates a winning feeling that you keep with you. Success begets success. 4. Simple is beautiful. If you're spending time thinking about your productivity system, you're studying for the wrong test. That's movement for the sake of movement. You should be focused on progress. 5. Find what works for you. It used to stress me out that I didn't have a beautiful productivity system that would impress others. Then I realized that whatever works for me is the best productivity system. Identify how you operate and find the system that works for you. To get started, just buy a stack of simple 3x5 notecards and give it a shot. If you've ever been overwhelmed by productivity systems and advice, this is an approach to try. Follow me Sahil Bloom for more ideas like this in the future and join 800,000+ others who get these in my weekly newsletter: https://lnkd.in/esGsF85Q

I've tested over 100 productivity systems in 20+ years of building companies. Here's the one that actually works (and why most founders get it wrong): Most think success requires grinding 24/7. After selling multiple companies, I've learned the opposite is true. Systems beat hustle. Every. Single. Time. I do ten 4-hour work weeks every single week. Instead of one endless 16-hour grind, I work in concentrated 4-hour blocks with complete mental resets between each. Here's my exact system: My "Control Room" approach: • Every task gets time-boxed in Asana • Projects have dedicated boards • Meetings only Tuesday-Thursday • Zero context switching allowed • Daily review at 6 AM sharp The breakthrough came when I realized: Energy management trumps time management. I map my day to natural energy peaks: • 5-9 AM: Deep strategic work • 9-1 PM: Team alignment • 1-5 PM: Execution mode • 5-8 PM: Family time Non-negotiable boundaries: • Phone stays in another room during deep work • Mondays are meeting-free for focused work • No major decisions when mentally drained • No "just this once" exceptions The system requires ruthless prioritization. I use the "3-1-3" method: • 3 major quarterly objectives per company • 1 key metric that defines success • 3 critical tasks each day that move the needle Everything else is noise. The beauty isn't just productivity - it's freedom. I can run multiple companies while being present for my family. No more choosing between success and life. The secret to extreme productivity isn't working harder than everyone else. It's building systems that multiply your impact. Start small. Pick one element. Test it for a week. Then build from there. Join Founder Mode for free weekly insights on startups, systems, and personal growth: https://lnkd.in/gSjjvzt9

Want to know the exact time management system I use to crush my goals in just 12 Weeks (Not 12 Months). It’s called the 12 week year, and here’s how to use it: 👇👇👇 Most people over-plan and under-execute. They set annual goals, get excited in January…and abandon them by March. That used to be me — until I discovered the 𝟭𝟮 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿. This system changed everything. I’ve been using it for 4+ years now, and here’s what it’s helped me do: ✅ Stay laser-focused on my most important goals ✅ Build consistency and discipline into my daily routine ✅ Create unstoppable momentum every quarter ✅ Grow my business to $3.5M while working fewer hours If you’re not using this framework, you’re leaving results on the table. Here’s a breakdown of how it works 👇 🔹 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟭𝟮 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝟰 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 ✅ 𝟭. 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 → 𝟭𝟮 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀: Instead of setting goals for the year, I break them down into 12-week goals. Each quarter is its own “year,” and I set one primary goal for that quarter. Each goal has three key themes which will support me achieving that goal. Click here to access the exact quarterly plan template I use. ✅ 𝟮. 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗹𝘆 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱: Each week, I commit to specific tasks and activities that drive results and track them religiously using this weekly scorecard. I prioritize and rank each task at the beginning of the week. The goal is to hit 85%+ execution weekly of my tasks for that week. ✅ 𝟯. 𝗗𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: I plan my days the night before and block off my calendar with tasks aligned to my weekly scorecard based on their priority. I use time blocking and batch similar tasks to stay focused and avoid distractions. ✅ 𝟰. 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗹𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀: At the end of each week, I score myself, reflect on what’s working, and make adjustments. This keeps momentum strong and makes sure I don’t fall behind. 🎥 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗲𝗲 𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻? I filmed a step-by-step tutorial on how to build your first 12 Week Year plan: 👉 https://lnkd.in/g6r44Tdr And if you’re feeling discouraged because you've tried this before and quit… Watch this video: 👉 https://lnkd.in/gN7bq6xw This didn’t happen overnight. It took years of reps. Most people give up too soon. The ones who win? They just keep going. If you're serious about hitting your goals this year... Start by crushing the next 12 weeks. 👇 Drop a comment if you're ready to try it — or if you’ve used the 12 Week Year before! Let’s dominate this quarter. #𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 #𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 #𝟭𝟮𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 #𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 #𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 #𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 #𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 #𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵

Time is what we want most, but what we use worst. Years ago, I thought time management was: ↳ Making to-do lists, ↳ Planning everything on a schedule, ↳ And still not getting everything done. But I learned the hard way: It’s not about doing more, it’s about doing it right. Here are 12 game-changing strategies: (that truly transformed my productivity) 1/ Anti-To-Do List: Track what not to do (low-value tasks or habits that waste time). 2/ The Rule of Three: Instead of endless task lists, set just 3 key priorities per day. 3/ Time-Stamped Planning: Estimate time for each task, so your schedule isn’t just a wish list. 4/ Switching Tax Awareness: Switching between tasks can cost up to 40% of your productivity—minimize it. 5/ Waiting Time Hack: Use waiting in line or commuting for micro-tasks (replying to emails or listening to audiobooks). 6/ 90-Min Deep Work Cycle: Your brain works best in 90-minute focus sprints followed by breaks. 7/ Day Theming: Assign specific tasks to certain days (e.g., Mondays for planning, Fridays for networking). 8/ Set Hard Stops: Decide when work must end to prevent overworking and force efficiency. 9/ Productive Boredom: Allow quiet time for creative thinking (no phone, no music). 10/ Just Start Rule: When procrastinating, commit to just 2 minutes of a task—momentum usually follows. 11/ Multiplier Tasks: Some tasks (automating a workflow or hiring the right person) save you time forever. 12/ Manage Energy, Not Just Time: Track when you’re naturally most focused and schedule deep work. Time is the only resource you can’t get back. Manage it wisely. ♻️ Share this with your network. ☝️ For more valuable insights, follow me, Victoria Repa.

82% of leaders have no time management system. (And it's killing their success) Every evening, I’d ask myself: Where did the day go? Staring at an endless to-do list that somehow grew longer. That pit in your stomach when you realize another day slipped away... The inconvenient truth: → 34 hours lost monthly in unnecessary meetings → 2+ hours weekly on non-work browsing → Only 3 truly productive hours in an average workday Your time isn't just slipping away. It's sprinting. But here's what elite performers do differently. (Tested and validated in real-world corporate environments): 1/ Time Block Everything Why: Our brains process single-focus blocks 43% more efficiently. ↳ Even 15-minute blocks matter. ↳ Include buffer zones. ↳ Protect your peak hours. 2/ The 2-Minute Rule Why: Small tasks snowball into 2-hour backlogs daily. ↳ If it takes less than 2 minutes, do it now. ↳ Stop the small tasks from becoming big delays. ↳ Clear mental clutter fast. 3/ Strategic Elimination Why: Top performers spend 80% of time on 20% of tasks. ↳ Cut 20% of your recurring meetings. ↳ Batch similar tasks. ↳ Say "no" to low-impact activities. 4/ Energy Management Why: Working with your energy doubles output. ↳ Match complex tasks to high-energy hours. ↳ Use breaks as performance enhancers. ↳ Honor your natural rhythm. 5/ Priority Stacking Why: Morning priorities are 2.5x more likely to get done. ↳ Handle big rocks before pebbles. ↳ Front-load your most important work. ↳ Eliminate first-hour distractions. The reality? Implementing these strategies reclaims 20% of your work hours. That's an extra day each week. Ready to take control? Start with one strategy today. ↓ Drop a comment with your top time hack. ♻️ Share to help other leaders reclaim their time. 🔔 Follow me (Loren) for more science-backed performance insights.