Dear Reader,

welcome to the inaugural edition of The Executive Edge where we discuss Time Management like a pro.

Executive Summary

• 5 science based solutions I use for time management at work
• Scientific rationale for them
• Reclaim.ai Calendar recommendation

The Brief

Like other high achievers, you likely feel like there's just not enough time to achieve everything you want, something I'm deeply familiar with.

The crux of this newsletter is essentially everything I've learned about productivity in my decade in Shanghai, arguably the most ruthless work environment in the world.

It's from this experience that I share my solutions, and I promise, trying even just one of them and sticking to it will make a world of difference!

​

The Solution

Here are some time management solutions that work extremely well for me:

1. Tuesdays = Meeting Day​
I sacrifice one day a week (usually Tuesday) for all outside meetings. All other days stays clear for deep work.

2. Other Meetings at Start or End of Day​
When meetings must happen on other days, I schedule them in the morning or just before end of day— never in the middle of the day.

3. Weekly Planning (20 mins, Monday)​
Spend the first 20 minutes of my week setting goals with my team on a whiteboard.

4. Daily Planning (10 mins, each morning)​
Same idea — 10 minutes to map the day’s top priorities with my team. Again: use a whiteboard.

5. Set Time Work Blocks​
I work on a 50 min work/10 min rest schedule - you can try your own variation but whatever it is make sure you stick to it!

6. 5-Minute Shutdown Ritual​
At the end of the day, I review what I've achieved and briefly consider the next day's work. I also make a point of actually turning off my computer and unplugging power cables.

The Science

1. Batching Meetings = More Deep Work

• Frees up 4 work days: no explanation necessary
• Enhances Deep Work: freeing up the rest of the week gives you time for uninterrupted, focused work, aligning with the brain's natural rhythms for deep concentration. (source)​

​

2. Avoid Midday Meetings

• Midday meetings wreck productivity — especially 2pm client sessions that take an hour each way just to get there!
• Preserves peak cognitive hours (typically mid-morning)
• Reduces task-switching fatigue which maintains higher overall productivity.

​

3. Weekly Planning = Fresh Start Effect

• Goal-setting on Mondays taps into the "fresh start effect" — a psychological boost linked to new time markers. (source)
• Peer pressure helps keep you accountable, and you're achieving that here by announcing your plans to yourself and your team. Weekly planning also increases follow-through by up to 63%. (source)​

​

4. Spend 10 minutes each morning hand writing goals

• Improves Memory Retention: Research shows that writing by hand activates areas of the brain related to memory and learning compared to typing, leading to better retention of information. (source)​
• Enhances Cognitive Processing: The tactile experience of writing by hand engages the brain differently than typing, fostering deeper information processing and understanding. (source)​

​

5. Work/rest on set blocks of time

• Gives you a 10-minute window to answer messages – notifications will never stop, but we can manage how we deal with them. Let the messages gather whilst you’re working, then deal with them during your break.
• Brain naturally works on cycles of high and low alertness approximately every 90 minutes.
• Minimises Context Switching which significantly reduces productivity. Even brief switches can cost as much as 40% of someone’s productive time. (source)​

​

6. Using a shut down ritual at the end of the day

• Reinforces what you learned that day
• Creates psychological boundary between work and rest which I’ve always found sooooo useful in feeling as though I’ve really stopped work for the day.

Recommendation of the week

​Reclaim.ai has worked really well for me, and it's also FREE for solo users.

Here’s why it works so well for me and my team:

1. AI-Powered Auto-Scheduling which dynamically adjusts your calendar as priorities shift.

2. Focus Time Protection defends your calendar from interruptions (like other people arranging meetings with you).

3. Buffer Time and Break Management Reclaim.ai automatically inserts buffer times between meetings and schedules regular breaks.

So that's my 5 minutes for this week's Executive Edge. If you enjoyed it please share with your friends and do get in touch with questions or suggestions at lucien@gennow.cn

Next week I'll be discussing a life-changing (no exaggeration) 16 minute full body workout program that's kept my mind and body healthy even through tough deadlines.

Best,

Lucien

​