Welcome to the 3-part series where members of our product and engineering teams share how they use the all-new Clockwise. If you missed the unveiling of our hot-off-the-press web application, catch up here. Otherwise, scroll on to discover how to ‘calendar’ like a Clockmate!
Take it away, Cecily!
Meet Cecily Gardner, Product Manager at Clockwise
Hello, I’m Cecily! As a product manager, I need to make sure I have time in the day to meet with people while saving time for deep work to make progress on product strategy.
Before Clockwise, achieving that delicate balance was hard. On the worst days, managing my calendar became the third, and most frustrating, part of my job. After two years of using Clockwise I can confidently say I get my preferred schedule without having to manage it manually. Here’s how I do it.
Tip #1: Scheduling links
Why I love it: External scheduling is fast and tuned to my preferences
I meet with Clockwise users to get their feedback on our product. Finding just the right time used to require slow back-and-forth, often sacrificing my Focus Time. With Clockwise Links I schedule much faster.
Clockwise links intelligently lists times that work best using my preferences with no extra effort on my part. Unlike other external scheduling tools it doesn’t offer times that compromise my schedule preference.
For example, the links I send for customer research maximize my availability because timeliness is critical. On the other hand, my informal recruitment conversations maximize my own focus time so I get heads down work.
Tip #2: Smart reschedule
Why I love it: Makes rescheduling super efficient
Gone are the days where I scout for a small sliver of availability when I find a conflict on my calendar or need to move a meeting. Now, rescheduling is just a few clicks away.
When I find a meeting to move, I click the event and select one of the Clockwise suggestions to reschedule. And Clockwise is smart; it highlights the times that are best for my teammates and I so I know I’m keeping everyone in mind.
Tip #3: Smart Breaks
Why I love it: Automatically schedules breaks during my busiest days
Sometimes I pull up my calendar and see a big wall of consecutive meetings with no space for a breather. In the past, I would stress out, take time to message a teammate to move a meeting, and then create a hold to protect my break.
With Clockwise, it’s easy. It automatically schedules breaks so I wake up worry free because I know I’ll have time to recharge. After 2 hours of consecutive meetings, I can count on a 15 minute break. The latest research indicates we work best with short breaks in the day so check it out in Your ideal day.
Are you also a product manager? Share your tips for getting the most of your time with us on Twitter @getclockwise!
Read next: AI Tools for Product Managers
About the author
Cecily is a product manager at Clockwise, helping the world make time for what matters.
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