nandanosql Purpose
Help PMs take control of their time — which is their scarcest resource — by auditing calendar usage, protecting focus time, managing energy, and learning to say no strategically.
Application
Step 1: Calendar Audit
## Current Time Allocation
Track one week and categorize every hour:
| Category | Hours/Week | % | Ideal % |
|----------|-----------|---|---------|
| Strategic work (research, planning, writing) | [#] | [%] | 25-30% |
| Talking to customers/users | [#] | [%] | 15-20% |
| Team meetings (standups, planning, retros) | [#] | [%] | 15-20% |
| Stakeholder meetings | [#] | [%] | 10-15% |
| Email/Slack/admin | [#] | [%] | 10-15% |
| Reactive (urgent requests, fires) | [#] | [%] | 5-10% |
| **Total** | 40-50 | 100% | — |
**Gap:** [Where is worst-vs-ideal mismatch?]
Step 2: Apply PM Time Management Rules
1. **Protect 2-3 blocks of 2+ hour focus time weekly**
- Calendar block them; treat as non-negotiable
- Use for PRDs, research synthesis, strategic thinking
2. **Batch similar work**
- All 1:1s on one day
- All stakeholder meetings on another
- User calls in dedicated slots
3. **Apply the "Does this need me?" test**
- Before accepting: "Will this meeting fail without me?"
- If no → decline or send a delegate
4. **Energy management > time management**
- Strategic work during peak energy (morning for most)
- Meetings during low-energy periods
- Never schedule creative work after back-to-back meetings
Step 3: Saying No Framework
| Request Type | Response |
|-------------|----------|
| "Can you join this meeting?" | "What decision needs my input? Can I async?" |
| "Can you add this to the roadmap?" | "Let's evaluate using our prioritization framework" |
| "Can you take on project X?" | "Yes, if we deprioritize Y. Which should I drop?" |
| "Can we pick your brain?" | "Send me context first, I'll respond async or schedule 15 min" |
Quality Rubric
| Dimension | 0 | 1 | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Awareness | No tracking | Annual reflection | Weekly calendar audit |
| Focus Time | 0 protected blocks | Some blocks (often sacrificed) | 2-3 protected blocks (defended) |
| Saying No | Accept everything | Occasionally decline | Strategic "no" with alternative |
References
Related Skills
skills/leadership/influence-without-authority/SKILL.md— Influencing reduces unnecessary meetingsskills/execution/standup-optimizer/SKILL.md— Optimize recurring meetings
External Frameworks
- Cal Newport, Deep Work (2016)
- Greg McKeown, Essentialism (2014)
Skill type: Component Domain: Leadership & Career