YC

Y Combinator Cast

04/01/22

@ Y Combinator

Notebooks are great for capturing ideas, but a well-managed to-do list is essential for productivity.

YC

Y Combinator Cast

04/01/22

@ Y Combinator

It's not about which to-do list software you choose; the key is to adopt one and use it effectively.

YC

Y Combinator Cast

04/01/22

@ Y Combinator

When I see founders write things down in a notebook, I feel like those ideas are lost forever.

DC

Dalton Caldwell

04/01/22

@ Y Combinator

Paul Graham's essay "Maker's Schedule, Manager's Schedule" succinctly explains how makers, like programmers, organize their time differently from managers.

DC

Dalton Caldwell

04/01/22

@ Y Combinator

Makers need uninterrupted blocks of time to be productive, while managers often have their days filled with meetings.

DC

Dalton Caldwell

04/01/22

@ Y Combinator

A great maker schedule consists of long, uninterrupted periods, like an eight-hour block, to maintain focus and productivity.

MS

Michael Seibel

04/01/22

@ Y Combinator

For many founders, the most productive work happens later in the day when distractions are minimized.

MS

Michael Seibel

04/01/22

@ Y Combinator

In our startup, we realized that no real work got done before lunch; the focus was on emails and meetings instead.

MS

Michael Seibel

04/01/22

@ Y Combinator

To maximize productivity, it's crucial to prioritize your to-do list over being driven by emails and meetings.

MS

Michael Seibel

04/01/22

@ Y Combinator

Having an analytics dashboard with key performance indicators visible at all times helps maintain focus and awareness of business health.

MS

Michael Seibel

04/01/22

@ Y Combinator

Successful founders know their metrics intimately, discussing them with precision rather than vague estimates.

MS

Michael Seibel

04/01/22

@ Y Combinator

The maker schedule concept can also apply to sales; scheduling longer blocks for customer interactions is more effective than short, fragmented meetings.

YC

Y Combinator Cast

04/01/22

@ Y Combinator

Social media is a black hole for time, and it's addictive, making it challenging to maintain a healthy relationship with it.

YC

Y Combinator Cast

04/01/22

@ Y Combinator

To be productive, founders need to clear out distractions and protect their time aggressively, as the world will otherwise steal their energy.

YC

Y Combinator Cast

04/01/22

@ Y Combinator

Effective people use tools to organize and protect their time, while ineffective people mistakenly believe that willpower alone is sufficient.

YC

Y Combinator Cast

04/01/22

@ Y Combinator

Founders often get caught up in collecting mentors and advisors instead of focusing on building and launching their product, which can lead to a time sink.

YC

Y Combinator Cast

04/01/22

@ Y Combinator

The most effective ways to de-risk a startup are talking to customers and building a product, rather than relying on advisory boards or mentorship.

YC

Y Combinator Cast

04/01/22

@ Y Combinator

Hedging bets by keeping multiple options open can hinder a founder's ability to excel, as it's difficult to be great at several things simultaneously.

YC

Y Combinator Cast

04/01/22

@ Y Combinator

In a competitive environment, teams that are fully committed and not hedging their bets will always outperform those that are divided in focus.

YC

Y Combinator Cast

04/01/22

@ Y Combinator

Future billionaires focus on getting things done efficiently while avoiding distractions and time-wasting activities.

How Future Billionaires Get Sh*t Done

Takeaways