How to manage your time more effectively (according to machines) - Brian Christian
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Human beings and computers alike share the challenge of how to get as much done as possible in a limited time. Over the last fifty or so years, computer scientists have learned a lot of good strategies for managing time effectively - and they have a lot of experience with what can go wrong. Brian Christian shares how we can use some of these insights to help make the most of our own lives.
Lesson by Brian Christian, animation by Adriatic Animation.
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TED-Ed MEOW
I followed your link but I didn't get a free copy is this because I had an account at one point?
This video isn't very logical though. Now we have had multi core CPUs for years while humans still only do one thing at once.
Translate to other languages asap please.
+Alex Your comment is exactly why this video makes sense for humans.
NOTES 1. Spend less time prioritizing and more time doing 2. Minimize interruptions 3. Group interruptions by how long you can afford to NOT do them and then do them in that amount of time
Grace Denton Thank you.
Good.
Good bot
Nice addition to the video. For #1 though, I think the important caveat is spend less time prioritizing *short* tasks as those are the situations where the prioritization may not improve the efficiency due to the overhead of time spent on prioritizing.
More time finishing a video game! GENIUS!!
It feels a bit ironic to be watching this video.
KidEatingClown why so low..
well, this is good start, now you know when NOT to procastinate
Gotta spend money to make money
Yeah... I'm watching this video while procrastinating
Yeah just feel
Summary of video: 1. Instead of prioritizing each task individually (which can waste a lot of time if in large volume), just make priority buckets to group the tasks. Dont look for a perfect order. Executing tasks chronologically or randomly can be a better alternative sometimes. 2. Instead of avoiding interruptions, just group them together. E.g. work on a task for a full hour and then spend 15 minutes to deal with interruptions. Then go back to work for another full hour. Repeat the process.
#2 sounds like a pomodoro cycle dont you think?
The task is going back to work after that 15 min break.
Thank you so much fr saving my time writing this in my notepad
Complete 1 topic rest then work again this cycle is good
I can’t turn back to task after checking disruptions out.
On a fairly relevant note, tip for procrastinators on being productive: Don't focus on trying to be continguously productive, instead focus on maintaining the state of productivity which can be much easier. Simply put, if you're doing one thing and start to get distracted or feeling inattentive, overly bored, simply just straightaway switch to some other form of productivity. Starting to get distracted while studying your school textbooks? Just close the book, put it to the side and start cleaning. Getting tired of cleaning? Alright put your cleaning stuff away and go out for a jog or do a quick workout. Done with your workout? Alright perfect point to spend a little time on that language you've been learning. Done with the language, read a non-fiction book. Done with the book? Do some cooking. Done cooking and eating? Get back to studying. Basically there is a huge difference when you focus on being continuous in your efforts than trying to be both continous and contiguous (people with procrastinating habits tend to be bad with being organised, so trying to organise and outline productivity to a fixed standard can make it about 10x harder to maintain) meaning it is much easier and more plausible. And basically it's much easier to form as a habit because it doesn't require completely changing an unrestricted lifestyle to following a strict schedule, but simply developing the natural drive of spontaneity that procrastinators tend to have. Also keep your phone and other none productive distractions far away from you while practicing this.
Thank you!
Wow thanks so much I needed that
thank you so much i rlly appriciate this
Sounds reasonable. But because the mind is so disruptive and chaotic it will just want to jump from one thing to another and start to do more of the easier tasks even in the productive ones you mentioned still ending up in procrastination. So categorizing tasks based on their nature, I mean the ones we don't want to do but still have to do and the ones that are so dear to us that we don't want to bind them in any structure. Still need to think more to get a clearer picture.
amazing gracias!!
Step 1: Stop watching KZhead videos
true
Step 2 : stop reading comments. LOL
Step 3 : stop liking comment
Step 4: Stop rewatching YT videos
Step 8: Stop commenting. *_oh wait_*
I feel like i watch all these videos but never actually do them
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha
You're not alone
We have the technology to save the planet, the problem is it's not profitable to any of the multi national corporations which feed off our fear.
There was a TED talk on why TED talks don't do anything...
me neither. I never wrote a single line of code for Linux kernel development.
As a software engineer, I find this parallel between computers and humans absolutely amazing and relatable. This is the first audio that's compelling enough for me to listen!
i find it more amazing that we actually do learn something from how the machine works FIRST. Cause usually it's the other way around, as we always try to mimic human behaviour into computer (programming language, machine learning, etc)
"Sometimes, giving up on doing things in the perfect order may be the key to getting them done." I feel attacked
😂
@@marshallmastery1848 instead of doing things in an order on how important it is, you should just do it randomly because sometimes it actually takes you longer to sort them out more than doing it
That's a good quote!
Time is the most valuable coin in your life. You and you alone will determine how that coin will be spent. Be careful that you do not let other people spend it for you.
Yes and never care about how much damage you cause in others. The only thing that is important is your own life. Do more of what makes you happy and don't care about others (other than your immediate circle of friends and family).
Hahaha you clearly didn't watch the whole video
+Romanski That is a terribly selfish advice! Even egotistic. I think (but who cares) that you all should spend time managing to stay happy while thinking of and working towards bettering your and your families future. You should calculate all the risky factors in your plans and determine if the consequences and prize are worth the price! The factors I always take in consideration are : direct profit (the thing you hope to achieve by the end of an action), direct damage (the price you intend to pay to achieve your goal) and collateral damage (physical and mental damage you cause directly and indirectly to all living things on your way). In conclusion - try not to be greedy by thinking about everyone, because that is what makes a person decent.
Romanski that sounds a little selfish I try to care about everyoenee
+Viki GG I, too, think that the comment of Decode Channel sounds selfish. Every time I read stuff like "Be careful that you do not let other people spend [the valuable coin of time] for you." or "Do more of what makes you happy" it always sounds so incredibly selfish to me.
I don’t manage my time, my time manages me.
Only in Soviet Russia
dang it you beat me to it
Chiasmus
That's nice.
ok
Summary: 1. Don't try to prioritize all things, start with the task at the top of your list, or even executing them in random order might be better. 2. Reduce interruption, it takes some time to load the context and be in the "flow state". 3. Don't check your email box or social media so often.
This is known as Stack in Computer Science.
📝⚖️💎🎬🌱
What I learned from this video: the tech programers who made these breakthroughs are in fact our modern day philosophers. Absolutely genius!
Ironic how if I hadn't procrastinated and watched this video, I would have never learnt how to stop procrastinating.
...but have you really stopped procrastinating?
profound.
Just do it
@@Sanggara888 Nike- nvm
@@mrbrightside3440 asking the important questions!
I'm procrastinating
Zohaib Kamran , I think everyone in this comment section is. Back to not reading my book!
Melissa Bautz 😂
I’m glad that I’m not, hope you get out soon cause this feels really good
Pecazi fingers crossed
Me 24/7
I definitely spend too much time scheduling what I need to do before actually doing them. And wow, I didn't realize computers had so much behind them, determining what tasks to do and what not! Thanks for the incredible insight, TED-Ed.
🙏🏾💎
When you're procrastinating right now by watching this video.
so basically if you want to get things done, just do it and stop checking your phone every 5 seconds.
underrated comment right here ...
And how
*video:* How to manage your time more effectively *Me:* Let's read comments
I feel attacked
@@emilia1911 wat do u mean?
That's literally me
@@emilia1911 k, you and maybe 26 others as well!
@@educato4580 or maybe… 432 others.
Takeaway: Making progress is more important than spending time to organize or prioritize tasks !
Yesterday , is history tomorrow , is a mystery But today , is a gift
That's why they call it the present.
And you comment is lame
@@fahmidameow8529 oh what a coincidence! So is yours!
You stole it from master oogway
Oh master oogway teach me.
I have three essays due tomorrow. This couldn't be anymore relevant for me
Duke Amadeus write anything that comes to mind ;) essay are nothing, real nightmare is not preparing for science exam
schakalakadingdong actually, when the panic side of procrastination kicks in, almost anything is possible. If the op starts right now he could finish each essay in a few hours, stay up all night and regret it all but still get it done. The one thing procrastinators are known for is optimism tho, so idk. I hope they complete it all.
@@joyitadarling5815 i second this. I usually go into emergency mode when i dont have time to do my assignments or study for exam. I can finish a 12 hour study into 3 or 4 hours and remarkably i can do it not only faster but better. Clearer mind and better memory. Probably something to do with adrenaline?
@@rpylamp8960 Yeah its when the adrenaline kicks in and we go full-blown panic mode some of us procrastinators (I say some because not all of us can do this) does it more efficiently and retains more of the information that those who study for a week. Why? 1. time the one who studies for the entire week is harder to retain the lesson earlier 2. They don't tend to make as big of a deal as us procrastinator does and doesn't retain or remember information 3. We have adrenaline, this one is self-explanatory. Edit: Typing on my phone, Sorry.
Did you finish them on time?
Recommend for you: “How to manage your time more effectively” *KZhead JUST READ MY MIND*
The Science Biome Probs the first recommended video that's actually relevant.
I know right I just got a job at a restaurant and my manager keeps telling me I need to go faster lol Praise the all knowing algorithm haha
It was from Allah, and Allah alone that you got this information.
NazmusLabs Allah hu fuckber.
It is actually pretty insulting
The key is in not spending time, but in investing it.Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time. Don't be fooled by the calendar. There are only as many days in the year as you make use of. One man gets only a week's value out of a year while another man gets a full year's value out of a week.
What a great comment !
This is INCREDIBLE, thank you! The permission to do things chronologically will literally change my life. This is the tool I’ve been looking for ☺️🙌 So grateful.
Watches video in a binge watching stream instead of doing stuff
. . . fact . . .
@@hunterpeterson6122 67/ 쇼
This is the solution to the exact problems i am facing. I am spending more time figuring out best or easiest way to learn something than actually learning it. Massive Thanks.
He's my favorite narrator. The voice is sooo clear. 💜💜💜
This was really helpful on a "root cause" type level. Thank you for this! It seems basic at first but all of these tips matter and the more you do them the more your life improves over-all.
This is essential knowledge for new business owners. Something valuable to add is the incredible importance of having written copy for your processes. To new business owners, saving time often comes down to knowing what to delegate. When it comes time to onboard staff you will have the tasks you want to delegate on hand, in writing and ready to go for your new hire!
Not procrastinating is the key to staying productive. Personally, when I have to complete a task, I convince myself to start and do it for at least 5 minutes. After starting it, I use the Pomodoro Technique(work for 15 minutes and relax for 5-minutes, and during the day, I increase the amount of both parts), which helps me complete the essential tasks and have time to relax.
I really like that Ted always presents you with science and facts that you never knew about rather than 1 to n personal tricks that only make you feel behind every one else and never really work.
Wow, TED-Ed. Your work is greatly underestimated. With the ease of understanding you provide I think that now in 21st century one has a bigger probability of achieving anything he/she desires than failing at it, given that he/she does not quit. I would like to thank you deeply for being an example for future generations. Humanity will keep on moving forward thanks to our skills for passing information and knowledge.
Great video! Time management is a constant issue for creators so your examples of counter-intuitive ways to save time were really useful for me. Thank you!
didn't think this was gonna be that good, but definitely interesting... nice.
vocabularies are so new for me, this channel not only helps me to discover, it also provides massive ammout of new words (English).
I am a computer science student currently studying Operating System concepts, and boy stumbling upon this video was like some weird coincidence i am learning about CPU Scheduling Algorithms, Interrupt Vectors, Process Management, Thread management etc.. this video was an over the top explanation but still very nice to see a TED-Ed video about one of the subjects i am currently learning
amazing
Yes, very Amazing graphics as well satu person
This video is from about 2 years ago and I’m still here, currently trying to learn how to not procrastinate while doing that exactly.
This type of video is necessary! We always have a lot of things to do every day, and it's common to be overmelded. Therefore, we delay our rest. I liked the tip about not prioritized the most important things but do them. It will be better, for sure, mostly when I'll have many tasks to do.
i love the book : the algorithms to live by ,it puts computer science solutions to be practical in our world,which makes a new vision of task organizing and finding or dealing with life problems TED-ED is the best
I absolutely recommend everyone read the entire book "Algorithms to Live By" by Brian Christian. It's absolutely fascinating and has more scenarios like these to analyse.
Thank you TED! This was really really helpful. I can't thank enough. Keep up the good work.
The first positive point about your videos is that the person who is speaking, speaks fluently, so that other people with other languages can understand it so well. And by watching these videos we can learn many new facts honestly everyday I spend hours here.
You guys make nice videos. Thank you. I appreciate the very hard work you do. My life has been bettered because of you folks. Happy New Year.
How to manage your time effectively: Spend time watching random videos about how to manage your time, comment on the video and realised you have just wasted your time.
It's hard to manage something that is just an illusion.
I agree, sometimes time just goes by slower or faster for me, it can be hard to keep track of.
Time is not an illusion
Izco Mdz watch a documentary on space time, it is an illusion.
Fatimah Al-Jazairi lol. I forgot about this comment 😂
@@TheAstronomersmusic do you still think it's an illusion?
i actually need this i'm tired of multi tasking, constantly doing so much work because i wasted my time to nonsensical things. had to change that b4 it becomes a habit. thank u
As a CS graduate I fully knew of these techniques but never considerd applying them in real life. Thank you for the idea
i found this video to be quite informative. i pride myself on my time management skills, i don't like to waste a second, so it's interesting to learn the psychology behind it. thanks!
I loved the part of 'Interrupt coalesce' gonna start working n it and implementing it into my life ! Much needed one! Thanks Teded
Personally, I get lots of tasks done by listening to study music, having an open, tidy and organised work space, eating food rich in protein, drinking coffee and water to stay hydrated, counting down the 5 second rule if I ever find myself procrastinating and taking breaks to recharge my mind. I work on my mental health and try to stay in a positive mood because it helps me get tasks done. Having a negative mood affects my productivity that I get less work done when I plan the night before.
Yes, I like the "stay in positive mood"! Definitely will try this. Cause when you feel it's all drudgery, it's painful!
With the risk of asking something obvious, what is the 5 second rule?
@@trentondudley8238. It’s where you count down from 5 seconds and then immediately get to work. That is how you beat procrastination and never waste time again. If you watch clips from Mel Robbins speaking about it, you will understand.
@@sophielei8494 Thanks, I'll use it when I inevitably catch myself slacking
omg i just read this book !! its really amazing how they put algorithms of computer science in real life ,my best parts were 37% algorithm,schedualling ,propability laws( especially how laplace was amazing ) i really recommand this book even for students who wants a better understanding of computer science and microprocessors
Thanks, scheduling in operating systems is a main topic for my upcoming exam. This video and the one you did about sorting algorithms are really helpful, simplified summaries that I’ll come back to for revising
The narrator's voice of Ted videos is as good as its contents and can literally give you an ASMR.
Thank you a lot ted-ed, I needed some rewiring to myself as I became more of a guy of flow to understand society and social behavior. It was taking a longer time than I thought it would to rewire myself. Thank you for scheduling process of conputers, it's really good and I am sure it will help me, as I can Intuit it will.
Fantastic video. Love how it ties concrete concepts in computer science to everyday activities
I was about to tap watch it later but I opened the video accidentally like life wants to tell me something.
😂😂
uf this is such an old comment 😞
@@leonamvinoy3008 iiill
It never ceases to amaze me how similar people and computers are. We literally make them in our image.
Great way to learn, apply and improvise time management from the failure of time management in computer's operating system.
This was just basic economics. Crash Course has taught me well :)
Me after watching this video: hmm, yes, I should manage my time from here onwards. 5 minutes later: Ok, what other youtube videos should I watch in bed before school.
It was really an interesting video that I needed to watch. It turns out that I've always been managing my time in the wrong way - by prioritizing the important tasks. When I started to think about the way that I just have to do tasks without even putting the important ones first as it is time consuming, I felt that I've been finishing many tasks in a shorter period (of course, it is not every time that this method works). I also tried to minimize some interruptions that made me not finish many tasks, what I mean is that I managed the tasks equally, that I will deal with the interruptions in the free time, and do the work most of the time.
I NEED THIS MY WHOLE LIFE!
You guys are amazing! I learn a lot from your videos, keep up the good job! :)
Summary: 1. Spend less time ranking tasks, and more time doing them. 2. Sometimes, giving up doing things in a perfect order, just do them chronologically or randomly could make things done. 3. Minimize interruptions 4. Grouping tasks base on how long they can wait
100% agree with the point about minimizing interruptions. I've found turning off all notifications on my phone game-changing!
Mind blowing and well-research analogies. Too good to be free content.
What is the only thing which can't be recycled? time 😊
Kakashi Hatake what about memories?
BitCoins !
Give birth and you just created a whole lot of time to your baby
What about those metalic plastic juice Capri sun containers that don't get thrown into the metal or plastic recycle cans?
Melissa Bautz that too
hi, i really needed this video! today i had a test today and my time management skills were way too bad so thanks ted
Hope it went well
Because of this video I bought the book and am going through it. The chapter "Scheduling" is worth the price of the whole book in my opinion.
I usually hate videos KZhead recommends me but this one nailed it
Hi Ted Ed, thank you for this video.
Darryl would love this video
Who's Darryl
has darryl seen the video now?
Did Darryl like the video?
I do haha
Why would Darryl love this video?
This is so interesting, i encountered the same issue. I always stop at the door of choosing what is more important and what i feel like doing right now. I always had this unsettled feeling that i couldn't choose one, and if finally did, working on it ends up to be inefficient (since i feel that the other thing is in the to-do list, exactly like another programming running in the back, occupying the cpu).
*sometimes giving up on doing things in perfect order is the perfect way of getting them done* Wow
"Sometimes giving up on doing things in the perfect order may be the key to getting it done" - lessons from Linux
CS Student watching this and got to see the OS Scheduling part: didn't expect that
what a great concept to know! Thank you!
A crucial point is made right when one of them bar patrons is trying to get into the bathroom… The animation is distracting and I had to rewind it twice to get the full impact. Beyond that this has been immeasurably helpful to me. Absolutely love this video!
1. Spend less time prioritizing and more time doing . 2. Minimize interruptions.
This is very helpful
Thank you for the talk. it really gives me a wake-up call and some insights for my lifestyle!
thank you! now instead of being bombarded with articles that talk about priority and reducing distractions, we get an explanation of the rationale and science behind it.
I literally just got out of my Operating Systems class, and this video was recommended to me. Mildly spooky.
Nice video! Loved it! :)
Algorithms to live by is a great read!! I definitely suggest it to everyone!! Mind changing!
This is speaking my language. I really enjoy applying computer science and math to real life problems. I don’t know, learning about computers and programming is just comfortable and exciting.
This video made me think to check my inbox.
I have an idea for a video. So we all know we have billions of bacteria in and on our bodies at all times. What would happen if you became completely sterile? Would it change you much or would it change a lot? Would it change dietary habits or not? Etc, etc.
If you could completely eradicate bacterial forms, then you wouldn’t be able to function properly. It’s arduous to categorize all of them since they depend on each other.
We would simply die
We wouldn't be able to absorb the diet because the bacteria help break down the nutrients. Therefore, you would starve.
SC 205 you would die. Trying to place a line between you and bacteria is meaningless. We function together and depend on each other.
Fun fact: bacterial cells inside your body outnumber your own eukarayotic cells. That alone tells their significance.
Perfectionism with planning and prioritizing gives one the feeling of working smart, but as this video described, takes away from actual time spent working!
Thank you that you give the similarities of human time management and how the computer task management.
Replying to emails in chronological order (i.e. oldest first) may not always be a better idea. If you are going back to a pile of emails after a vacation, there are likely follow-up replies with updated information, making the oldest email on that subject obsolete. So sorting by thread could help.
G Yogaraja True - just having *some* kind of tool that sorts them into an order, to save you taking the time to do it yourself, will have a similar effect, I think.
I like to think doing newest first is better because I get to them before it's due and use the ample time to do past tasks
I didn't get anything :(
Imback 2killu They said a lot of things but there are notable examples, such example is the email, sometimes its better to go through it in order rather than pick the most important one by one before continuing to another because you will spend the extra time thinking whats really important rather than spend the time actually reading the mail
bugmaster05 ahhh well that wouldn't take much time though
Same
So do I.
The first part is about not wasting too much time prioritizing. Rather, think about your plan of action for a bit then execute it. Don't plan everything out absolutely perfectly because that wastes time that could've been spent working. The second part is saying to stay focused. Don't switch tasks because something comes up that's not important at the moment. An example could be unimportant texting while doing homework. Make your own judgement on what can and can't wait.
Stanley McChrystal talks about this in his book, "Team of Teams". He improved the efficiency of military forces in the Middle East by focusing on responsiveness and not on being precise in operations. So the computer time management itself isn't what helped, but the general principal of just being responsive. Not everything has to be perfect to get it done, and you will get much more done if you just do it!
Great video but what made this memorable for me was the awesome animation and sound effects. LOVE the whole bar vibe !!
The video's answers: 1) (If you have numerous tasks) Don't bother taking the time to rank your tasks by order of importance. Just do the roughly more important ones first, then do the roughly less important ones after. If your tasks are numerous enough, you'd probably save the most time by just doing all your tasks in random order. 2) Minimize distractions. Even simply switching tasks is distracting and time-consuming. 3) Don't check for tasks or email reminders any more often than you need to.
when you have a vocation but TED ED uploads a video about time.
+212 661-475520
Interrupt coalescing: a practical advice I was given, was to keep a blank paper sheet with me. Whenever any interruption came up "do this, call plumber, don t forget that!" instead of interrupting my task to absolve them, I wrote it down on the paper sheet. And then, whenever I made a break, instead of wasting time I quickly took care of them.
The most useful advice I’ve had my entire life