1 00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to How I Work, a show about the tactics 2 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:09,000 Speaker 1: used by the world's most successful people to get so 3 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:12,320 Speaker 1: much out of their day. I'm your host, doctor Amantha Imba. 4 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:16,400 Speaker 1: I'm an organizational psychologist, the founder of Behavioral Science Consultancy 5 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:19,560 Speaker 1: in Bentium, and I'm obsessed with finding ways to optimize 6 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:24,600 Speaker 1: my work day. This episode is another my favorite Tip episode. 7 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 1: The title's probably pretty self explanatory. It's about my favorite 8 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:31,479 Speaker 1: tip from each of the interviews I conduct. So my 9 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:35,279 Speaker 1: guest on today's show is John Zuratsky, otherwise known as 10 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:39,680 Speaker 1: jay Z. Jay Z is a veteran technology designer, keynote speaker, 11 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:42,480 Speaker 1: and the best selling author of Sprint and Make Time. 12 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 1: Jay Z has worked with more than two hundred of 13 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:51,120 Speaker 1: the world's most important and innovative companies, including Google, Haveard, Slack, Ideo, 14 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 1: and Netflix. And for the last fifteen years, jay Z 15 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:59,200 Speaker 1: was a designer for tech companies so at Google Ventures, 16 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:02,080 Speaker 1: he helped develop up the designs Sprint and work with 17 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:06,320 Speaker 1: startups like Uber twenty three and Meters, Blue Bottle Coffee, 18 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 1: and Nest. And previously he was a designer at YouTube, 19 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 1: Google and FeedBurner. Now I'm a huge fan of both 20 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:16,360 Speaker 1: jay Z's books, and I've also had his co author 21 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:19,080 Speaker 1: Jake Nap on How I Work quite a while ago too, 22 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:21,959 Speaker 1: which you might want to check out. So jay Z 23 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:25,200 Speaker 1: is just so practical in what he talks about. And 24 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:27,320 Speaker 1: if you like this tip, definitely go back and listen 25 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:30,280 Speaker 1: to the whole interview. So in this particular extract of 26 00:01:30,319 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 1: the interview, I quiz jay Z on his calendar template 27 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:39,480 Speaker 1: that he uses every week to plan his ideal day. 28 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:44,120 Speaker 1: So on that note, let's hear from jay Z about 29 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 1: this calendar template. I want to delve more into the 30 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:50,800 Speaker 1: idea of a calendar template and more specifically what your 31 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:53,600 Speaker 1: ideal day looks like. And what I really like actually 32 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:57,440 Speaker 1: is whenever I start these interviews, I'll always ask my guest, 33 00:01:57,480 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 1: as I did for you jay Z, do you have 34 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 1: a heart stop? 35 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:01,920 Speaker 2: And he said yes, on the hour. 36 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 1: And what's interesting is that, well you don't really like 37 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:10,240 Speaker 1: you're just going on a walk to do an errand. 38 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:12,520 Speaker 1: And most people would be like, ah, yeah, you know, 39 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:14,400 Speaker 1: a round about on the hour, but you're like, no, 40 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:16,920 Speaker 1: on the hour, And I really like that that. 41 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:20,120 Speaker 2: You know, there's obviously, you know, there's discipline, but there's 42 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:23,080 Speaker 2: also seriousness around Okay, well, this is what I'm doing 43 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:26,480 Speaker 2: at this time, So can you take me through what 44 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:30,359 Speaker 2: an ideal day looks like for you in this calendar template? 45 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 3: Sure? Yeah, I well, And at first I should also say, 46 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 3: in my defense this errand that I have to run. 47 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 3: I'm supposed to be meeting somebody to take care of 48 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 3: some paperwork at the bank. So I wasn't I wasn't 49 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:45,919 Speaker 3: being entirely ridiculous when I told you that I had 50 00:02:45,919 --> 00:02:46,120 Speaker 3: to go. 51 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:48,079 Speaker 2: Even if you were, I think that's lovely. 52 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:53,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, okay, good, good. Yeah. So I've got my computer 53 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 3: in front of me, and I just pulled up my 54 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:57,920 Speaker 3: calendar template so I could I can literally tell you 55 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:00,959 Speaker 3: what's on it. But probably more interesting is to give 56 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:06,760 Speaker 3: you the big building blocks. And the essential building blocks 57 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 3: for me are are really my morning. So I don't 58 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 3: have a really extreme morning routine. I don't wake up 59 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:17,400 Speaker 3: exceptionally early. I don't have a crazy ritual of things 60 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 3: that I go through. But there's a couple things that 61 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 3: are really important to me. It's really important to wake 62 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:24,960 Speaker 3: up early ish, and for me, that's that's around six 63 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:30,800 Speaker 3: thirty six to six thirty am. It's important that I 64 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:33,920 Speaker 3: make coffee and have something to drink and have a 65 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:37,000 Speaker 3: few minutes to look out the window before I grab 66 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 3: my phone or open up my computer. My wife and 67 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 3: I we we recently moved into a new home, and 68 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 3: when we moved, we set up a charging cabinet. So 69 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:48,080 Speaker 3: we have a cabinet out in our dining room that 70 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 3: all of our devices go into at night. So we 71 00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:53,680 Speaker 3: plug in our computers, we plug in our our phones, 72 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:57,120 Speaker 3: we plug in our our headphones, you know, because now 73 00:03:57,120 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 3: you have to charge your headphones. That's a new thing. 74 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 3: So we plug all that stuff in and so it 75 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 3: creates this really nice barrier where where in the morning, 76 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 3: it's not right there on my bedside table. It's not 77 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:10,480 Speaker 3: the first thing that I grab. I have to make 78 00:04:10,520 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 3: an intentional decision say okay, now I'm ready to begin 79 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:18,120 Speaker 3: this sort of the technology focused part of my day. 80 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:22,159 Speaker 3: So that's one important thing. And then as a way 81 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:27,360 Speaker 3: of helping myself avoid getting sucked into reactive mode. In 82 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:30,440 Speaker 3: addition to all the ways that I've created barriers around distraction, 83 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:34,760 Speaker 3: I also I don't just play defense. I play offense 84 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:39,679 Speaker 3: by usually working on my highlight first thing in the morning, 85 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:42,599 Speaker 3: and so looking at my calendar template from from seven 86 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:45,360 Speaker 3: to eight thirty am. I have a block that's called 87 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:50,280 Speaker 3: work at home, and so I've had coffee, I've had 88 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:54,159 Speaker 3: some waters, you know, had a moment to sort of 89 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:57,240 Speaker 3: contemplate and think, and then I literally sit down and 90 00:04:57,279 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 3: start working on whatever my highlight is for that day, 91 00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:02,360 Speaker 3: whatever that thing is that I really want to bring 92 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 3: my best attention to, assuming that it's that it's a 93 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 3: sort of a work related highlight, assuming it's not something 94 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 3: like going to a baseball game or meeting up with 95 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:14,840 Speaker 3: friends or whatever, which is you know, often a highlight 96 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:17,560 Speaker 3: that that takes place later in the day. And then 97 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:22,039 Speaker 3: I make sure to schedule in time for my meals 98 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:26,160 Speaker 3: because I have found that when I don't do that, 99 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:29,520 Speaker 3: I have a tendency to get too into the zone 100 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:31,920 Speaker 3: when I'm doing focused work, and then I wait too 101 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:34,640 Speaker 3: long and then I sort of I sort of crash 102 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:36,720 Speaker 3: and burn where I'm sort of like I waited too 103 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:39,640 Speaker 3: long to eat or to to you know, shower, to 104 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:43,240 Speaker 3: do whatever kind of basic self care things need to happen, 105 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:46,120 Speaker 3: and then it's harder to come back from that. But 106 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:49,040 Speaker 3: if I if I schedule in, okay, take a break 107 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:51,760 Speaker 3: and have something to eat and look out the window 108 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 3: that's going to that's going to keep me me balanced. 109 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:58,520 Speaker 3: And then in the afternoon, that's really when I focus 110 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:02,480 Speaker 3: on administrative. So I have a couple of meeting slots 111 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:04,840 Speaker 3: in the afternoon and those are for the most part, 112 00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:07,600 Speaker 3: those are the only times that I schedule meetings. So 113 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:12,000 Speaker 3: I have I use calendarly for a you know, scheduling tool, 114 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 3: and I have meeting slots in the afternoon that that 115 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:18,200 Speaker 3: people can book. And this is everything from talking to 116 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:23,599 Speaker 3: perspective clients, to organizing events, to checking in with people 117 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 3: that I'm collaborating with on various projects. So I do 118 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:30,280 Speaker 3: that stuff in the afternoon. I have my admin and 119 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:33,360 Speaker 3: an email block in the afternoon that is from three 120 00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:36,880 Speaker 3: thirty to four thirty. Actually really from three thirty five, 121 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:40,880 Speaker 3: I should say, by default on my calendar. Around five 122 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 3: PM is when I do some sort of exercise activities walking, 123 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:50,120 Speaker 3: yoga or high intensity workout every day, and then and 124 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:54,400 Speaker 3: then evening is really for me and for my wife 125 00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:57,719 Speaker 3: and for the for our friends people that we care about. 126 00:06:57,720 --> 00:07:01,359 Speaker 3: So that's I really love making dinner at home because 127 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:04,680 Speaker 3: it's an activity that combines a bunch of great benefits. 128 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:08,520 Speaker 3: It tends to be healthier and more affordable than going 129 00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:12,000 Speaker 3: to restaurants. It requires me to step away from the computer, 130 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:15,640 Speaker 3: to close devices down, to do something with my hands. 131 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:18,040 Speaker 3: And I also really like how it kind of signifies 132 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 3: the transition from daytime to night time. So I am 133 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:25,760 Speaker 3: not a natural morning person. I have had to sort 134 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:29,000 Speaker 3: of structure my environment to help me wake up in 135 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:30,640 Speaker 3: the morning. And so one of the things that I 136 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:33,160 Speaker 3: need to do in order to wake up at a 137 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:35,560 Speaker 3: reasonably early hour is to go to bed at an 138 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:40,800 Speaker 3: early hour and having sort of a nighttime routine that 139 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:43,480 Speaker 3: tells my body, Okay, it's time to slow down, it's 140 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:45,720 Speaker 3: time to lower the lights, it's time to focus more 141 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:50,600 Speaker 3: on doing things that are kind of inwardly focused. That 142 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:53,720 Speaker 3: helped me transition into that next part of the day 143 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:57,400 Speaker 3: when we're going to be sleeping, cooking dinner at home 144 00:07:57,440 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 3: really supports that, and so that's kind of the last 145 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:02,160 Speaker 3: significant chunk of my day is sort of being focused 146 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:06,200 Speaker 3: on on home and on my relationship with my wife 147 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 3: and my friendships with other people I care about. 148 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 1: That's great, and what percentage of your days would roughly 149 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 1: resemble that ideal day that you've just described. 150 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:23,640 Speaker 3: When I'm not traveling. So when I'm at home, pretty 151 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:28,960 Speaker 3: much every weekday fits that general outline. There's you know, 152 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:32,040 Speaker 3: there's always exceptions here and there, but they're they're pretty rare. 153 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:35,679 Speaker 3: One thing that I continue to struggle with is what 154 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:40,040 Speaker 3: to do when I'm traveling. And somebody introduced me to 155 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 3: the concept of a home game and an away game. 156 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:44,800 Speaker 3: So this is the idea that you have a certain 157 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:47,880 Speaker 3: routine and a certain template from when you're at home, 158 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:50,120 Speaker 3: and then a different one for when you're traveling, and 159 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:53,520 Speaker 3: maybe the one when you're traveling is a bit more flexible, 160 00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:57,400 Speaker 3: and it's really it's optimized for resiliency and sort of 161 00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:00,840 Speaker 3: practicality and instead of being kind of idea yell or perfect. 162 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:03,360 Speaker 3: And I will admit that I have not I've not 163 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:05,280 Speaker 3: developed that yet. So I'm not at the point where 164 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:08,800 Speaker 3: I have a strong away game, and I've been doing 165 00:09:08,840 --> 00:09:12,959 Speaker 3: a lot more traveling in just the past twelve months 166 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:15,839 Speaker 3: or so, and so it's something that I need to 167 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:19,480 Speaker 3: work on. But when I'm at home, I would say 168 00:09:19,679 --> 00:09:22,600 Speaker 3: pretty much every weekday looks like the template that I 169 00:09:22,679 --> 00:09:23,280 Speaker 3: just described. 170 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:28,000 Speaker 1: Hello, there, that is it for today's show. If you 171 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:30,480 Speaker 1: like this episode, why not share it with someone who 172 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 1: you think would also like it and benefit from it. 173 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:36,040 Speaker 1: Thank you so much. If you have been spreading the 174 00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:38,640 Speaker 1: word about how I work, I know so many people 175 00:09:38,679 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 1: have been, and it is so immensely appreciated. So thank you. 176 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:46,760 Speaker 1: And so that is it for today, and I will 177 00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:48,240 Speaker 1: see you next time.