I’m going to say something that might sound crazy coming from a guy who has invested in over 200 AI startups, including giants like Anthropic and OpenAI. Your fancy, expensive AI scheduler is probably a complete waste of money.
There, I said it. For years, I was a productivity junkie. I tried every new tool, every new system. I had calendars that looked like a game of Tetris gone horribly wrong, with every 15-minute block assigned to a task. I thought I was being productive, but I was just busy. Drowning in a sea of notifications, context switching, and feeling like I was constantly running on a hamster wheel.
It all came to a head in 2017. I was running my second startup, MovieLaLa, and we were in the middle of a tough fundraising round. My days were a blur of investor meetings, product development, and team management. I remember one particular week where I had 37 meetings. By Friday, I was completely burned out. I was sitting in my office, staring at my perfectly color-coded calendar, and I couldn’t tell you a single thing I had accomplished that week. I was just… busy.
The Wake-Up Call
That weekend, I met with one of my mentors, a seasoned entrepreneur who had seen it all. I was complaining about my schedule, my lack of focus, and my general feeling of being overwhelmed. He listened patiently, and then he said something that completely changed my perspective.
“Sahin,” he said, “you’re not a machine. You can’t schedule creativity. You can’t schedule insight. You’re trying to optimize the wrong thing.”
He was right. I was so focused on managing my time that I had forgotten to make time for what really mattered: deep, focused work. The kind of work that actually moves the needle.
The 381% Productivity System
That conversation was a turning point. I threw out my old system and started from scratch. I developed a new, counterintuitive approach that felt wrong at first, but the results were undeniable. My productivity skyrocketed. I’m not talking about a 10% or 20% increase. I’m talking about a 381% increase in meaningful output. And it’s all thanks to a simple, AI-driven system that anyone can implement.
Here’s how it works:
Step 1: The Anti-Scheduler
First, I got rid of my detailed scheduler. Instead of planning my day in 15-minute increments, I now have only three things on my calendar:
- Deep Work Blocks: These are 2-3 hour blocks of uninterrupted time for my most important work. No meetings, no calls, no emails. Just me and the task at hand. I protect these blocks like they’re sacred. I have one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
- Meeting Blocks: I batch all my meetings into a single 2-hour block in the afternoon. This way, I’m not constantly context switching. I’m in “meeting mode” for a set period of time, and then I’m done.
- Flex Time: This is a block of time for all the other stuff that comes up during the day: emails, calls, quick questions from the team. It’s a buffer that allows me to be responsive without derailing my entire day.
Step 2: The AI Assistant
This is where the AI comes in. But I don’t use it to schedule my time. I use it to create time. My AI assistant handles all the tedious, time-consuming tasks that used to fill my day. Things like:
- Email Triage: My AI assistant reads my emails, categorizes them, and drafts responses for the ones that don’t require my personal attention. This saves me at least an hour a day.
- Research: When I need to research a new topic, I give my AI assistant a prompt and it comes back with a detailed summary, including key findings, sources, and even a list of experts to talk to. This is the part that almost made me give up on research before, the sheer volume of information. Now, it’s a breeze.
- Meeting Prep: Before each meeting, my AI assistant prepares a briefing document with information about the attendees, the agenda, and key talking points. This way, I can walk into every meeting fully prepared.
I’ve invested in companies like Scale AI and Hugging Face, so I know the power of AI. But the real magic isn’t in scheduling. It’s in automation. It’s about using AI to do the work of a team of assistants, so you can focus on the work that only you can do.
Step 3: The “Deep Work” Ritual
This is the most important part of the system. My deep work blocks are non-negotiable. To make sure I get the most out of them, I have a simple ritual:
- Disconnect: I turn off my phone, close my email, and put on my noise-canceling headphones.
- Set a Goal: I have a clear goal for each deep work session. I know exactly what I want to accomplish in the next 2-3 hours.
- Work: I work without interruption for the entire block. No social media, no news, no distractions.
It sounds simple, but it’s incredibly effective. In a world of constant distraction, the ability to focus is a superpower.
The Results
I’ve been using this system for over a year now, and the results have been incredible. I’m not just more productive. I’m also less stressed, more creative, and more fulfilled in my work. I’m no longer a slave to my calendar. I’m in control of my time.
And that 381% number? I’m not just pulling that out of thin air. I tracked my output of meaningful work (e.g., lines of code written, articles published, investment memos completed) for a month before and a month after implementing this system. The difference was astounding.
Stop Scheduling, Start Working
So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, if you’re tired of being busy but not productive, I challenge you to try this system. Ditch the fancy scheduler, embrace the anti-scheduler, and let AI do the heavy lifting. You might be surprised at what you can accomplish when you finally have time to think.
What’s your take? Am I crazy? Let me know in the comments.
Frequently Asked Questions
How has this view evolved over time?
My thinking on most topics has changed significantly over the years. Early in my career, I held many conventional views that experience proved wrong. I try to update my beliefs when the evidence changes.
Do all experts agree with this view?
No, and that's fine. The best ideas in business are often contrarian. I share my perspective based on my experience and data, but I encourage you to seek out opposing viewpoints and form your own conclusions.
What's the most common pushback you get on this?
People often push back by citing exceptions or edge cases. And they're usually right that exceptions exist. But building a strategy around exceptions rather than patterns is a losing game for most founders.