Why You Never Have Enough Time

Ego Lab Podcast - Episode 2

Overview

In this episode Anthony and Brian discuss tools, tips and principles to make the most efficient use of your time. They discuss the strategies of leaders Peter Thiel, Warren Buffet, and Peter Drucker. Learn how to get the sleep you need and make your mornings better with Ego Lab.

Highlights

You can use Peter Thiel’s 6 month timeline framework to get big goals done fast. Choose a project that you think will take 1-5 years and try to complete it in 6 months. Pick the important pieces of the project and focus on those.

Use Warren Buffet’s prioritizing strategy to focus on what matters. Make a list of the most important 20 things you want to accomplish in the next 6-12 months, and then cross out everything except the top 2-5.

Parkinson’s Law says that work expands to fill the time you give it. Challenging yourself to stick to shorter timeframes for work can help increase your productivity. Just be sure you give yourself enough time to still do the work well.

The Pareto Principle (80/20 principle) says that 80% of results come from 20% of your effort. Use this principle to find which 20% of your effort is giving you 80% of your results and spend more time on work that moves the needle.

Leverage is a concept that you can implement to amplify your efforts when you’re not even there. Start by putting your time and money in places that will produce dividends.

Although you can implement strategies to become more efficient, when you want to become an expert at something you must put in the work. Using strict schedules is one strategy you can use to make sure you devote time to the craft you’re trying to hone.

When you eliminate distractions, you create a space for deep work and flow states. These are the moments when you’re working so intensely and passionately that time stands still.

Organizing your technology can help you become more productive. The more your attention is pulled towards alerts and notifications, the less time you have for activities you actually want to be doing. Phones have settings you can adjust so that you decide when and how you are alerted.

Multitasking can cost you up to 20% of your productivity. Moment to moment task switching not only takes time away from your original task, but it also requires time to refocus on the original task. If you like switching projects often, plan those switches ahead of time and use timers to maximize focus.

Striking a solid work life balance comes down to prioritizing work, and maximizing efficiency. Setting clear intentions and values in your life is a great way to make sure you’re heading towards meaningful goals. Ego Lab’s “Destinations” episode has great tools and strategies for accomplishing that.

According to Peter Drucker from the book Managing oneself, you’ll become more proficient in your work if you solidify your strengths as opposed to becoming mediocre in your weaknesses.

Top tools for time management: To-do lists, google calendar, trello, notion, graphic organizers.

You spend a third of your life sleeping. Ways to optimize your sleep are setting alarms that require you to get out of bed to shut them off, don’t use the snooze button, leaving your phone away from your bed, get your morning essentials such as clothes and daily materials ready the night before,

Giving yourself time to wind down before going to sleep is one of the best ways to optimize sleep. That means put away electronics and limit artificial light 1-2 hours before sleep. Most electronics come with settings that will block blue light for you.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro

2:33 - Peter Thiel “Why can’t you do it in 6 months?”

3:34 - Warren Buffet’s attention prioritizing strategy

4:34 - Parkinson’s Law and how to get more done

6:15 - The Pareto Principle (80/20 Principle) teaches us where to put our time

7:24 - How to use leverage to optimize results in your life.

8:45 - Schedules, dispelling the Myth of Creativity and the 10,000 Hour Principle

10:10 - Tools for removing distractions to optimize Flow States and Deep Work

13:03 - Don’t multitask.

15:00 - How to strike a work life balance

15:55 - Peter Drucker’s productivity recommendations

17:25 - Tools for time management.

19:40 - Morning and evening routines to optimize sleep.

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