An impeccable schedule determines the productivity we will have in our startup, since we will follow an organized and intelligently prioritized structure to have the greatest possible impact.
What is a smart schedule?
A smart schedule is one that allows us to adapt our peak energy hours with sprints to move forward the goals we have. This involves identifying the times when we are most focused and productive, and using them to complete important and impactful tasks.
It helps us to avoid scattering and allows us to focus on the tasks that really require our attention.

How to have a smart schedule
To create a smart schedule that helps us achieve our goals through sprints, we must take into account the following elements:
Audit the schedule.
The first task is to audit our current schedule. This involves dedicating one day a week to analyze how we are allocating our time. In doing so, we can ask ourselves the following questions:
- What am I spending my time on?
- Do I need to do all of these tasks or can I delegate some of them?
- Where am I spending most of my time?
By getting answers to these questions, we can identify areas for improvement and determine how we can reorganize our schedule to be more efficient.
Learn to say NO
Learning to say no to ideas and projects that are not aligned with the growth and survival of our startup is crucial to advancing our goals effectively. Often, we are faced with many requests and demands that can distract us and divert our attention from what is important. By setting boundaries and prioritizing our efforts, we can ensure we focus on what really matters.
Conduct weekly All hands
All hands is a meeting that involves the entire team and aims to discuss update issues, keep the team cohesive and convey transparency. This meeting can be used to share progress, raise challenges and align the entire team towards common goals. Holding this type of meeting on a regular basis can help keep everyone informed and engaged.
Check email daily
Effective email management is critical to maintaining a smart schedule. It is recommended to dedicate 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the afternoon to review and respond to emails. This way, we avoid constantly checking our inbox and can use the rest of the time to work deeply and maximize our productivity.
Set aside a block of time for business calls.
In addition to daily tasks, it is also important to set aside a specific time to make business calls. These calls can be with customers or potential investors and are essential to accelerate the growth or maintain the survival of our startup. By allocating a specific block for these calls, we can ensure that we are spending quality time on these interactions and avoid interruptions in other areas of our work.
Hold skip level meetings
Skip level meetings are those in which startup leaders meet with members who are not in a management role. These meetings help strengthen the company culture and provide a sense of unity among all team members. By fostering open communication and collaboration among all hierarchical levels, we can ensure a more positive and productive work environment.
Hold monthly 1:1 meetings
1:1 meetings are one-on-one meetings between two people to discuss work progress over the past month and how it can be improved. These meetings are ideal for strengthening commitment to goals and allow you to address challenges and growth opportunities in a more personalized way. By dedicating time for these meetings, we can ensure each individual's alignment and commitment to the startup's goals.
Make time for yourself
Dedicating personal time to recharge and focus on activities outside of work is critical. This personal time varies for each individual and can include activities such as physical exercise, hobbies, spending time with friends and family, or simply enjoying quiet moments. By having time for ourselves, we ensure that we maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Proactively procrastinate
Proactive procrastination refers to the small breaks we can take during our workday to refresh our minds and improve our productivity. These breaks can include activities such as stretching, taking a short walk, or simply unplugging for a few minutes. Proactively procrastinating helps us avoid mental fatigue and regain focus, resulting in more efficient and higher quality work.
Disconnecting completely from work
Total disconnection refers to times when we completely remove ourselves from work and engage in fulfilling activities. This can include spending time with family and friends, enjoying hobbies, or devoting time to personal projects. By completely disconnecting from work, we allow our minds to rest and recharge to tackle new tasks with greater clarity and motivation.
Importance of a smart schedule
A smart schedule is essential to focus all our energies on the most important tasks and maximize our productivity. By using our time efficiently and following an organized structure, we can ensure that we are working on what really matters for the growth and survival of our startup. A smart schedule helps us prioritize, avoid dispersion and achieve a greater impact on our goals.
Contribution created with contributions from: Ismael H (Platzi Contributor).
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