What is time?

We can't touch time. We can't see, taste, smell, or hear it either.

And yet, life is all about 'time'. So this is the topic of today's newsletter. In this issue, we cover:

How I manage my time
How life can change in 15 minutes
Using my own app to take notes of my reading (a 15-minute challenge) - is it worth it?
From social

How I manage my time

When people learn that I am running a business while taking care of my son, the question always comes:

How do you do it?

Now that he is almost 5 and preparing to go to primary school, I decided to raise it up a notch.

On top of that, I started a 7-month project with the University of Galway.

So here is how I do it (and what I learned along the way).

Get the basics right

We talk about time management a lot, but it is actually more about energy and attention than time itself.

There are a few basics that make everything easier or harder.

Sleep
Food
Exercise

Past me wanted to manage time by sleeping 5 hours a day, eating crap (or nothing at all), and spending the whole day sitting in front of a computer.

Teenager me would survive that. Current me wouldn't.

If I don't get these right, I will — with 100% confidence — get sick.

I don't mean going to the gym, sleeping 10 hours a day, or eating only vegetables. I mean doing what feels natural and sustainable.

Which brings us to the next learning.

2. Self-awareness

This is the core of everything.

Have you ever noticed:

You hold your breath while writing?
You tighten your stomach when rushing to the office?
You tighten your shoulders or clench your teeth during focused work at the computer?
You stay with the physical sensations of a 'bad meeting' hours (or days) after it has passed?

The times I burned out, I didn't notice.

When we notice, there are a million ways to change our state. But if we don't, we accumulate stress 24/7 to the point where our relationships, our mind, and our body can't hold any longer.

Then we crash.

Only when we develop self-awareness can we finally think about time management, which brings us to my next learning.

3. Flexible time management

I tried all the time management solutions under the sun and always ended up in the same spot.

What finally worked for me was:

Time-blocking for major projects (time for University work, time for Thinking Cafe work, time for family, and time for me).
Learn how to dissipate tension.
Learn how to add flexibility to my routine.

So when a block finishes, my mind and body need to transition out of that state (whether it is work or leisure) and into the next one.

If I can't make that transition, no time management system in the world will work for me.

Assuming I can transition well, that is when flexibility enters the story.

Here is what usually happens.

I plan to sleep eight hours and wake up with full energy. Then my body decides otherwise. I wake up at 3 am and cannot fall back asleep. When that happens, I know I need to manage my mood and tension levels during the day. That may mean adjusting the tasks I had planned or even dropping some tasks.

Another example.

I plan to run through my to-do list, but my son gets sick and I need to care for him instead. So I shift my tasks and work blocks to fit the new reality.

It is constant adaptation.

The more flexibility you can build into your life, the better.

And now, the most important aspect of it all.

4. Get yourself an awesome partner

If you are married, have kids, and your partner thinks you are also their parent, personal house cleaner, and private therapist... you will have a hard time.

In our household, my husband and I take responsibility for everything.

Taking care of our son is a 50/50 split.

Taking care of the house is a 50/50 split.

Taking care of the bills is a 50/50 split.

That doesn't mean one of us won't sometimes do more than our share. But we see the other person doing more not as their 'responsibility', but as a gift.

If my husband washes the dishes when it should be my turn, that is a gift.

If I take care of our son when he is exhausted from work, that is a gift.

We do not take things for granted. We negotiate when we need support. And we are happy to give each other that support.

By the way, happy birthday Emir. Te amo 😘

Because I know that managing time is not trivial, I have developed many 15-minute exercises for all sorts of challenges.

So here is what usually happens when I share them.

How life can change in 15 minutes

We tend to believe we can't do anything in just 15 minutes.

I disagree 😉

I KNOW that time doesn't come easily for most of us, so how can we make the best use of it?

Here are two examples where 15 minutes made a real difference.

I have been inviting people who answered my Clarity Survey to meet me for an interview.

My goal is to understand the challenges they face when explaining their ideas. At the end of each interview, I offer a 15-min exercise they can do on their own.

In a recent interview, we had the opportunity to do the exercise together. Here was Sally's experience:

In my first discussion with Bianca, she made sense of how I was feeling. There was a sense she really understood me, which was so reassuring. She took me through a technique verbally, and within 10 minutes, I had lightbulb moments of how my explaining had changed.

To be honest, I left the call feeling lighter, happier, more confident, and more positive about possibilities moving forward. I am excited to work even further with Bianca.

In 15 minutes (10 actually!), she gained a completely different perspective on how her explanations could improve.

Want to know which exercise I shared? Check the "From social" links at the end of the newsletter.

I am also running a 15-minute Reading Challenge inside the Thinking Cafe.

Many people believe it is impossible (or useless) to read a source for only 15 minutes a day. I have tried it myself, and I know there are benefits.

Fortunately, community members find it helpful too 😊

Here is what one of our members (a University professor who is definitely short on time) shared:

I resisted the 15-minute reading practice at first. I thought it would not be productive. However, I was wrong! Even when I do just one 15-minute session, I find that I remember the material much better the next day. I also feel clearer about my goals and what I need to focus on next. It has made a noticeable difference in both retention, consistency, and productivity.

If anyone else has been hesitant like she was, I encourage you to try it and see what happens.

All my bootcamps are built around 15-minute exercises.

All my challenges are 15-minute challenges.

Most of my course lessons also fit within 15 minutes.

I am trying to do the same for my new course.

If you have trouble disentangling your mind so you can explain what you really mean, I would love to see you doing the 15-minute exercises with us.

You can join here (if you haven't already)

Also, feel free to share with your students, peers, friends, and family.

Using my own app to take notes of my reading (a 15-min challenge)

Last week, I shared that I am building my own note-taking app.

So I am taking it out for a spin during the Thinking Cafe's Reading Challenge.

My notes about the book "Strategy: An Introduction to Game Theory" using Beta

So far, so good. The best part is being able to change anything if the workflow feels wrong.

I am recording the entire reading and note-taking process. I may share a short timelapse video soon. Let me know if you would like to see it.

From social

Here are a few other things I have been sharing:

So this is a bit about my relationship with 'time'.

What about you? How have you been managing your time and energy? 😊

From the Thinking Desk

How I manage my time (and why flexibility matters more than perfect planning).

How I manage my time

How life can change in 15 minutes

Using my own app to take notes of my reading (a 15-min challenge)

From social

I need your help

He says he wants to be a thought leader — but does he even like thinking?

Before diving into research, make sure you know which Gap you are facing.