I’ve been trying out a new time management mindset I think you might find interesting. It’s based on how surgeons structure their day between surgeries and consultations.
Surgeons have a unique perspective on time management. Their profession demands the precision of a craftsman, the concentration of a monk, and the strategic planning of a General. As professionals, their days are often divided into surgical operations and consultations. Both are essential components of their profession, yet they are vastly different in nature. So, I thought what if knowledge workers - scientists in my case - started thinking of their time the way surgeons do?
Here’s what I’ve been playing with:
“Surgery” Time (“Deep Work” Time)
Focused Blocks: I’ve started setting aside specific blocks of time on a few days per week where I go deep into my most important tasks, much like how a surgeon would during surgery. During these blocks, I’m 100% focused on the task at hand - usually doing or writing up research.
No Interruptions: During these periods, I don’t allow any interruptions. I don’t check my phone, answer emails, or do anything else that isn’t the task I’ve planned for that block.
Deferred Responses: If someone tries to interrupt me during a deep work block, I kindly ask them to check my calendar and find a time that works during my scheduled “consultation” hours, even if it means meeting a few weeks out, that is okay - think how long it takes to get in to see a surgeon… your time is just as important!
“Consultation” Time (“Meetings & Planning” Time)
Scheduled Chats: Outside of my deep work blocks, I’ve set aside specific times for meetings and planning, just like how a surgeon has allocate time for consultations and meetings.
Breathing Room: I make sure to leave some space between meetings so that I’m not rushing from one to the next, allowing me to give each one my full attention. This doesn’t happen as often as i’d like but i’im working on it.
Conclusion
This paradigm is all about balancing focused work with necessary collaborative time, creating a rhythm to my work week that I’ve found really beneficial so far. But, more importantly, it has been about being okay with being hard to reach or book time with - your time is important and if your patient is going to survive the operating table you need to hold space to do your best work.
I wanted to share this with you because it’s been a positive shift in my routine. It might be something you find useful too.
Thanks for reading.