How I Manage My Time - The Trident Calendar System

The Trident Method for Time Management

In this video, the speaker introduces the Trident method for time management. They explain why time management is important and how it can be used to make the best use of our time. The speaker also shares their experience with bullet journaling and how it led them to develop a year-at-a-glance view of their schedule.

Introduction to Time Management

• Time management is an essential skill that helps us make the best use of our most valuable non-renewable resource - time.

• The goal of time management is not just productivity but using our time intentionally and effectively.

Bullet Journaling and Year-at-a-Glance View

• Bullet journaling is a pen-and-paper method of productivity that involves creating fancy spreads for managing tasks.

• The year-at-a-glance view in bullet journaling splits up the entire year into 12 columns representing each month, with 1 to 31 days down the side, giving you a bird's eye view of your schedule.

• This view provides incredible insight and clarity into what your year will look like, making it easier to plan events such as holidays or group trips with friends well in advance.

Digital Year-at-a-Glance View

• To have a more digital way of having this kind of view in life, one can create a Google sheet template that shows months color-coded in pretty colors and weekends color-coded as well. This allows zooming out and getting a bird's eye view of an entire year so one can plan their life accordingly.

• This view can be used to plan events such as holidays or group trips with friends well in advance. The changes made in the Google sheet template can be reflected in the actual Google Calendar so that everyone knows what's going on in one's life.

Ideal Week Planning

In this section, Ali Abdaal talks about the importance of ideal week planning and how it can help individuals make the most of their time. He explains that everyone has 24 hours in a day and 168 hours in a week, and it's up to each person to decide how they want to use that time.

Defining the Ideal Week

• The ideal week is an individual's ideal allocation of their 112 available hours per week.

• This method involves creating a new calendar on Google Calendar to have a fresh slate for audio week planning.

• Ali Abdaal has been using this method for eight months with his CEO coach Eric Ponteca, who uses this method with all his clients.

Huel Products

In this section, Ali Abdaal talks about Huel products and how they have helped him maintain a healthy diet despite having a busy schedule.

Types of Huel Products

• Huel Black is a protein shake that contains 40 grams of protein and 400 calories. It is part of Ali's morning routine.

• Huel Ready-to-drink is nutritionally complete in a single bottle. It comes in different flavors, with banana being Ali's favorite.

• The best way to try out these products is through the variety pack.

Benefits of Using Huel Products

• Huel products are convenient for people with busy schedules who don't have time to cook proper meals.

• They provide all the necessary nutrients needed for the day.

• Using Huel products can help maintain a healthy diet even when one doesn't have access to healthy food options.

Special Offer

• By using the link provided in the video description, viewers can get two free products along with their order - a t-shirt and a shaker.

Designing Your Ideal Week

In this section, the speaker discusses how to design an ideal week by allocating time for morning and nighttime routines, work, deep work blocks, meetings, and other activities.

Allocating Time for Morning and Nighttime Routines

• Allocate time for morning and nighttime routines.

• Allocate one hour every morning for a morning routine.

• Allocate time to get ready for bed around 10 pm every night.

Allocating Time for Work

• Allocate time to start working at 9 am every day.

• Determine how you want your ideal workday to go based on your energy levels.

• Communicate with your boss or manager about how you work best.

Allocating Time for Meetings

• Add blocks of time in your calendar for weekly team meetings, weekly team lunch, weekly content squad meeting, and two meetings a week with the general manager.

Allocating Time for Other Activities

• Allocate several hours in the morning as a deep work block for writing.

• Schedule various filming blocks into the calendar if necessary.

• Create containers within your ideal week that intentionally use your time based on job constraints and personal energy levels.

Creating an Ideal Week

In this section, the speaker talks about how she plans her ideal week and defines the parameters of her routine.

Defining an Ideal Week

• The speaker likes to have a structured week that includes work, exercise, socializing, and personal time.

• She has defined specific days for certain activities such as date nights on Mondays and Thursdays.

• Having a default structure allows for flexibility when unexpected events occur.

• Defining priorities in life helps to make time for important activities.

Benefits of Planning an Ideal Week

• Planning an ideal week frees up headspace from having to think about what to do next.

• It shows where there is genuinely free time available.

• It forces individuals to decide what their priorities are in life.

Conclusion

• Planning an ideal week helps individuals prioritize their time and make room for important activities.

Managing Time with an Ideal Week

In this section, Ali Abdaal discusses how he manages his time using an ideal week. He explains how he plans his week in advance and allocates specific blocks of time for different activities.

Creating an Ideal Week

• Ali Abdaal spends a lot of time thinking about how he wants to spend his time each day.

• He translates this into what his ideal week looks like in real life.

• He has specific blocks of time allocated for exercise, book writing, team meetings, and content creation.

• His calendar evolves over time depending on what's happening in a given week.

Managing Time on a Given Day

• Ali Abdaal follows what is in the calendar to manage his time on a given day.

• Before the start of each week, he looks at his calendar and creates blocks of time for the things that he wants to do.

• He uses the Hal app to create duplicate events and make it easier to manage his schedule.

Final Thoughts

• Ali Abdaal encourages viewers to try out the strategies discussed in the video and share their experiences with him via email or comments.

• He acknowledges that sometimes unexpected events can derail one's schedule but emphasizes the importance of having an ideal week as a guide.

Daily Quests and Living by the Calendar

In this section, the speaker discusses his daily routine and how he uses a calendar to manage his time. He also talks about defining three daily quests in work, health, and relationships.

Defining Daily Quests

• The speaker defines "daily quests" as three important tasks in work, health, and relationships that he aims to accomplish every day.

• The speaker mentions that he has started a slack group with his team to hold each other accountable for completing their daily quests.

• The speaker gives examples of his current daily quests for the day.

Living by the Calendar

• The speaker explains how he schedules everything on his calendar including exercise and calling family members.

• The speaker emphasizes how living by the calendar has been game-changing for him in terms of productivity and organization.

• The speaker stresses the importance of being intentional with time management rather than just trying to be productive with every hour.

Overall, this section provides insights into how the speaker manages his time through defining daily quests and living by a calendar.