I know from my own experience that this works but I think it should be mentioned that it is also easily leading to burnout if you try to increase the load further and further. That is why I would also talk about how to keep your mental health in check and know the limit of you adding capasity.
Hi Jonna, thanks for this important comment. As with most things, there are for sure limits to this as well. Hard to generalize where these limits lie for individual people, it is indeed important to be mindful and take the signals of your body seriously. Best! Heinrich
@@FirmLearning Heinrich, can you make a video about avoiding burnouts when working so much for multiple years? Mental Health while working 60-80 hours a week etc. Would be really interested in your ideas on this topic.
@@noahschultz89 Hi Noah, yes - have a video called ".. How to handle stress.." that covers some of these issues. Agree that this topic is very relevant and important though - might create more on it in the future! Best, Heinrich
This video resonates so much with me! I remember this little snippet I heard recently: “Interviewer: Do you work well under pressure” “Me: Yes, because If there is no pressure I won’t work”
While I do agree that pressure and external commitments help in the short time I'm not sure if they are good from a long term perspective. Sure getting ahead in the first years of your career might pay off but health is nothing to compromise on either. Besides taking a step back when the pressure gets to strong and reevaluating is valuable long term wise too...During these corona times I took on a lighter schedule and just getting those 8-10h of sleep instead of 5-7h makes such a big difference. Sure you get done less but less pressure does wonders too...
Hi, thanks for your comment and sharing your perspective. Fully agree that sleep is important, also very much enjoy days where I can sleep longer :) Best! Heinrich
The more of your videos I watch, the better I like you! You really are a big help - not only as an orientation for my way into Management Consulting, but also as a personal advisor in terms of personal growth and mindset. Love it!
@@priceandpride UrbanDictionary: "Ehrenmann" = German word for "man of honour". Often used by the youth after someone did something nice. Should be teached in every german class ;)
I actually prefer not to overload myself at all. So I’ve instead tried to pack a bunch of tasks into a smaller amount of time, sort of scheduling some “rush” periods, and tried to get the same effect.
Very good "down to Earth" time management video, Heinrich. In my view, this will solve most of the cases that people have. However, I'm a believer and looking to learn more about the "state of flow". Whenever I'm in it - or at least I think I'm there - I feel a huge productivity difference. So it's not all about commitments & pressure. And I find some tools to be very helpful, and it takes me sometimes months to set them up in a way to boost productivity.
Good insights Heinrich! What resonated with me is the "pressure" you mentioned, which for me ties to a "sense of urgency". Whether a person can feel it, or understand how urgent/critical the tasks are.
Couldn't agree more with you! The harsh reality is such that time management can only do so much without pressure. In essence, what you are saying: 1. Compatibility of tasks -> Finding tasks/goals that complement each other in terms of time needs 2. Create external commitments -> Holding oneself accountable by setting a deadline or announcing goal to the world 3. Increase your workload -> Always pushing the boundaries of our bodies and minds, hence normalising what used to be considered 'impossible' Wise takeaways~ Can't wait to listen to more of your experiences~ :)
Great video, totally agree, never managed to stick to particular time management techniques on the long run, but when things need to be done and public commitment is there, they are. Thanks!
You make very good points. Parkinson law is real and having an accountability partner works. I like the idea of getting more on your plate/overcommitting as a personal growth hack. I can't use calendar blocking to save my life but I have found the pomodoro technique to be useful and fun to use. Its main benefit, for me, is that it puts you in a flow mode which is motivating. I am not sure you necessarily accomplish more but you do "feel" like you are more productive. And more zen. So maybe it is nice way to manage your energy and mindset.
Great video. I would only add a tip for us to try to BALANCE this over-commitment of deliverables we are pulling ourselves in because it is the excessive amount of pressure that is, along with the effects from the pandemic, making us lose our minds sometimes. Mental health will (if not already) certainly be the main disease of this century.
I really had to laugh in the first part of the video when you talk about pressure enabling people to manage their time, but its so true in consulting :D Nice video!
Very true. I reckon most time management techniques take up valuable time and end up being an end in themselves, such as the whole six sigma thing, for instance. Not that I consider that particular methodology useless, but for that matter an engineer shouldn’t be asked to carry out duties that are not linked to their basic expertise, as it was the case in GE a couple of decades ago (I ignore how’s the situation nowadays). Instead, a dedicated team should intervene, putting in practise as well precisely their expertise. Namely, quality control.
Yes! Create external comitments! So true! Whenever someone at work makes a suggestion that we try something new, I always say, lets each make a proposal for how this new thing would work, and schedule a meeting to review the proposals in 2 weeks. Then you have to create it by that date to discuss it. Always works to actually implement ideas that would otherwise stay as vague suggestions because everybody has other priorities.
Great insights Heinrich! I think it definitely makes sense to utilize Parkinson’s law to maximize once output and that I would be good for anyone to test their upper boundaries. However, I think it is just one part of the overall discussion. I know you are discussing stress within consulting in other videos, but applying your time management strategy also requires a good management of pressure, which I would say is just as vital to long term success. I find the video fairly optimistic restarting work load, and I think you motivate how this can utilized! However, I would really find it interesting to hear you elaborating on how tackle the two variables; time management á la Heinrich and pressure. Not being able to handle the pressure would most likely make most people crash and burn (perhaps not MBB people ;) ) Thumbs up for you videos!
Hi Robin, thanks for your comment. Can very much see where you are coming from and I fully agree that that this tension exists. "More pressure" is for sure not always the answer to all questions. Trust that I will further dig into these topics in future videos. Best! Heinrich
Now my time management questions have been answered to an extent. I’ve done pomodoro, however no one day ever looked the same and I could not manage what I thought was consistency. Turns out, most everything I do either takes longer or shorter than I anticipated. So, finishing things according to what I planned wasn’t always the result for me. Many times it is quite the opposite.
This is great! Always thought that time management only involves the pomodoro technique which wasn’t working that well with me as I tend to complete my work when I have a deadline.
I remember when I was in my bachelor's in uni and was spending my time in a rowing team on the side, my performance at uni actually improved when the training load increased. Less time to Netflix and a more rigid structure to the day drove my performance. High performance sports also taught me important lessons on performance, which helps with time-management. When the external pressure of an upcoming race was increasing, my old coaches would increase the internal pressure far beyond that level. We would clock all our times and race against other crews in the club with unrealistic handicaps (e.g. let them have a large head start). The result is that the output on race day is much higher, as the pressure on that day is safely in your comfort zone. That can also be applied to classwork: when I had exams, I would train myself in a more high-pressure environment. For example, I would do the practice problems and time myself, but more strictly than on an exam. For a problem that I would give myself 10 minutes for on the exam, I would give myself only 5 minutes during studying. The result is higher performance on your exams and in class, meaning in the long run you do not need to spend as much time on studying or repetition. Focus on being used to high-level performance and you will suddenly have more time in your day simply by being more effective.
Thank you for giving honest advice and getting wrapped up in all that self-help s***. It would be nice to hear more practical examples from your personal experience.
Hi Heinrich, can you make a video on how to track your to dos, cause I still struggle keeping track of all my work with different deadline etc... How do you handle it ? Do you use checklist, eisenhower matrix or something else? Best,
Great video. This is my 2nd time watching it because i am under very high workload and stress at work. So this helps. However: does this mean it is ok to regularly work late hours, weekends, etc? especially that i am not a junior anymore and just had a baby. Or should i commit to finish work every day at a reasonable time and not work on w.e. ? and only work late/w.e. exceptionally? Some people actually use this rule to limit their work hours and keep free time off work for family etc as a technique to create more pressure at work to get everything done on time... do you agree? Thanks
Glad that you enjoyed the video! I think it is important to decide what is important to you and making time for that! I wish you the best with dealing with all of this going forward :)
Set a clear bouduary for your work. In the past I worked also in the weekends and I was very close to burnout. Then I tried to set a firm bounduary: no work on Sunday, and my income doubled! Then I restrictd the bounduary even more: work only half day on saturday and don't work at all after 19:30. My income raised another time! The reason is that you work much better if you properly refill your energy.
Well, i can say for soft topics like m&a, transformations, etc. that time pressure thing might be right. You got deadlines to hold, you do stuff to get it delivered. Most of the times the story is good in 20 min. But to really shape its wording and so on can take days, weeks if necessary. What Heinrich completely ignored is technical consultancy/Implementation (what McKinsey never delivers,only concepts). If you are alone and commit in Deadlines and have a shitload of Meetings and some guys not stoöping throwing requirements over the fence - this is real borderline work
Hi, thanks for your comment! Yes agree with you, in many more complex projects you will have dependencies to other teams etc. and this for sure needs to be taken into account when planning your work. Also briefly mentioned in the video that good project management techniques are of course important and also used in consulting and similar careers. This video was intended to rather cover these "productivity hacks" and "time management hacks" that so many coaches and courses currently try to sell you. Best! Heinrich
I can’t fully agree with the recommendations. Productivity may start fighting with quality, multitasking may lead to loosing focus. So better count on your personal experience. To me better take focus on 2 things, but do it in a shorter timeframe then have multiple small activities. Also there should be some breaks between high load periods so that you can slower down and take a rest before run one more sprint))) but with deadlines pressure - it works for sure.
Agree that deadlines concentrate the mind. If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it. But could you do a video on tips to manage a big workload, for example working smarter not harder?
Hi Alistair, thank you! Yes, there are for sure some relevant tips and techniques to cover on that topic. Might pick it up in the future, thanks! Best, Heinrich
Hi Fabian, yes fully agree, mental health is of course important and should always be prioritized. Trust that everyone needs to find his / her own right balance in this regard. Best, Heinrich
I almost never dislike videos, but this is an exclusion. I dislike it in hope other people would see it less. If you did not burn out yet or had a heat attack and truly following these ‘tips’, you will be there soon.
Hi Igor, sorry to hear the video did not appeal to you. Fully agree that just „doing more work“ is not the answer to every problem and I tried to also provide some context to that in the video (and also in answers to some of the other comments). You are absolutely right to point out that protecting one‘s mental health should always be the highest priority. Best, Heinrich
Hi Yusuf, do not think that these practices really help to deal with pressure and adapt. Though different people might have different reactions to these things! Best, Heinrich
Good content, Heinrich! I was searching in your channel content for preparation and management of workshops but there is nothing yet. I think it would be an interesting subject for your channel ;). Cheers! Javier
Hey Heinrich, I'm 25 just started as a jr.Consultant in a small Consultancy in Switzerland and wondered, if you have some advice for managing the work life balance. With my friends still doing their Masters and living the student life, me dating a younger girl and in general engaging with ppl who do have a completely different work and time table. What is your advice in that regard? How did you plan you free time? KR David
Hi David, thanks for your comment. Indeed this is a question that is not easily answered and probably different people find balance at different levels. Have already a video related to this on my ideas list - stay tuned! :) Best, Heinrich
Actually this is also my experience. To get things done one need to set up some elaborate goals in the mind. Sometimes it feels like juggeling but it will for sure help to achieve more.
I don't know wheather the things that I am doing are conflicting each other or not and I try to do more things but end up procrastinating and doing nothing pls help me with that
Some of this is true Heinrich, but you're talking about volumes of work. Yes deadlines always focus the mind and one of my techniques is always to try and do at least one extra small thing a day, whether it's a follow up call, email etc. Where I don't agree is thr idea that all techniques don't work. I think the Eisenhower matrix is a good one to help make sure you so the tasks or activities you need to for medium to long-term growth. That's about the right mix, rather than just volume
Hi Roman, thanks for your comment. Yes agree that there is some value in some techniques. Eisenhower matrix is more about prioritization. Setting the right priorities and prioritizing your work accordingly is super relevant and important also in fields like consulting. Therefore fully agree! Thanks for watching! Best, Heinrich
All agree with this tips and tricks. Creating yourself deadlines to make you accountable to achieve, works very well for me. I also use to put a lot of my to do list for the day which most certainly helps me to achieve more. However, i feel that this tips has his limits. In my case, let me sometimes with a feeling of frustration and not achieving all I was hoping for. Any tips how to overcome that limitation ?
Hi, thanks for watching and your comment! Agree that as with most things, there is only that much you can achieve with this attitude and it has limits. Not getting something done can indeed also be frustrating, though for me the positive sides of being more productive overall outweigh this disadvantage. Best! Heinrich
Thank you Heinrich! I love your approach to overcommitting. However, I often get the feedback that I overpromise and underdeliver, that I should do and focus on less. How do you manage expectations when setting high goals and ambitions? Looking forward to your reply :)
Hi Philip, thanks for your comment! Here indeed important to have the bigger picture in mind, agree that there will be areas that are so critical that you should not let them slip. Of course correct and important to prioritize these over other tasks that are not as mission critical. As also discussed in other videos, good prioritization is for sure an important and highly relevant skill in consulting and similar careers. Best! Heinrich
The problem is on what you focus - quality will suffer if you compress time or increase task scope. Nowadays, often the Pareto principle is praised - 80% quality is good enough. However, if you value quality goods and want to produce them like a medieval craftsmen then your focus must shift from crazy workload to crazy attention to detail. And craftsmanship is on the rise again...
Hi Roman, yes good point. Agree that you carefully need to evaluate to what you want to apply these principles. There for sure are areas where 100% quality is very much worth the time investment. Best! Heinrich
Heinrich, thanks. Could you talk about your background in philosophy? I have a master degree in philosophy and I'm always thinking about management epistemology and its political implications. I'd love to know your thoughts about this.
@@FirmLearning It's difficult to summarize all of this reflections on a TH-cam comment. ;) But, for the sake of an answer: 1) managerialism and democracy, do you think there is a tension? 2) Thinking with Foucault about neoliberal governmentality and management, do you think management discourses can be dangerous to the way freedom is thinked? 3) Thousands more... but I'll leave it there! :D Once again, thanks for your videos!! Great Channel!!
Hi Heinrich, many thanks for all the great content - your videos are incredibly insightful. I'm curious about your comment on increasing workloads - I've always been quite conservative in the things I commit to but don't struggle to get them all done on time (most of the time). However, as an aspiring consultant, I'm worried this might not be seen as good quality at an MBB firm for example. What are your thoughts?
Hey Heinrich love your videos! What do you think about the idea of overloading yourself with work vs. the [maybe industry myth] of “burning out”? (Also I don’t know if you’ve made a video about “burning out” yet but I woudl love to watch it! I hear it talked about a lot and I think it’s bs
Hi! Of course you should be careful of not burning out / make sure that the stress level is sustainable for your personal resilience. Though my personal impression is that burn out does not necessarily have something to do with the working hours and your task utilization, but rather other aspects such as working conditions, relationships with colleagues etc. Stay healthy! Best, Heinrich
Nice to-the-point video. I agree that the more one takes on the more the pressure there is and so more will get done, however I think it's important as well to keep in mind the focus on priorities and how these contribute to achieving one's goals through a strategy, not to get too scattered along the way.
Good try. But your video title is completely wrong. All what you said is true and all are required tools and techniques for time management. Time management is all about prioritization and focusing on what is important and urgent in the first place and you did a good job in managing your time by doing what you have done. Cheers.
Thanks for your comment! What I wanted to emphasize with the title is that all these new fancy time management techniques that many coaches and courses try to "sell" you are not really required for good and effective time management. A good sense for prioritization and focus is of course super important and relevant though, fully agree. Thanks for watching! Best, Heinrich
@@FirmLearning yes agree with you. Let me tell you a little secret here. There is no anything called time management on earth. Because you cannot manage time. But you can manage yourself. Time is fixed for all creatures on earth and divided equally. We all have 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 30 days a month, etc etc. So, we need to manage ourselves (self management) to benefit from the time we have daily or weekly or monthly to achieve our tasks and objectives in a nice way with minimum stress. You may or may not agree with me. Cheers.
Hi Sam, thanks for watching! I usually prepare a rough outline with bullet points for the videos though not a complete script. Public speaking indeed an interesting topic - potentially also for a future video - though I think there are other people more qualified to talk about this than me. Thanks for your comment! Best, Heinrich
@@FirmLearning i too want to become a consultant an a mbb firm or open my own wealth management firm . although i am in 1st year of my undergrad , but i know what i want to do and this keeps me motivated , and your videos too , they keep giving some insider insights.
The tips are cool but the last tip about committing to more than you think you can do sounds like a path to getting overworked and mental health issues.
Hi Adisum, thanks for your comment. Not sure I fully understand what you mean. Why do you only have 3 hours of daily free time? What do you mean with 5 yr graduation? Best! Heinrich
This advice is very risky. I say this because it doesn’t seem to account for individual differences and seems to general. I agree with Parkinson’s law and the power of accountability partners. But as a leader (and a human), I know that people handle pressure differently. Some people need to build momentum. To create desirable outcomes, some need to invest more energy on identification and planning before they execute. External pressure alone is not the “magic bullet” for productivity. It’s just an important factor.
Hi, thanks for sharing your perspective. Agree that "more pressure" is not the one size fits all answer to productivity. It is indeed important to balance it with your life and psychological health. Best! Heinrich
Not even PARKINSONS LAW works for me. What the fuck is wrong with me? Overload myself with other activities? That means instead of doing work from 2PM-8PM I do work from 9PM-3AM.
I thought this advice was helpful. It doesn't make sense to spend so much effort managing your time if you don't have actual commitments to manage it for
Do you want to learn to create presentations in the style of leading consulting firms? Check out my Slide Writing course:
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Heinrich so successful now he no longer needs to hold his own camera.
I wish.. rather one of the benefits of being married ;)
@@FirmLearning what a supportive couple ...lol....
I know from my own experience that this works but I think it should be mentioned that it is also easily leading to burnout if you try to increase the load further and further. That is why I would also talk about how to keep your mental health in check and know the limit of you adding capasity.
Thank you for mentioning this! Being under constant pressure everyday and having impossible deadlines can easily break people.
Hi Jonna, thanks for this important comment. As with most things, there are for sure limits to this as well. Hard to generalize where these limits lie for individual people, it is indeed important to be mindful and take the signals of your body seriously. Best! Heinrich
@@FirmLearning Heinrich, can you make a video about avoiding burnouts when working so much for multiple years? Mental Health while working 60-80 hours a week etc. Would be really interested in your ideas on this topic.
@@noahschultz89 Hi Noah, yes - have a video called ".. How to handle stress.." that covers some of these issues. Agree that this topic is very relevant and important though - might create more on it in the future! Best, Heinrich
@@FirmLearning Thx a lot! Yes, that sounds like a great idea!
Deadlines motivate me, period. Great video!
Same here! :) Best! Heinrich
This video resonates so much with me! I remember this little snippet I heard recently:
“Interviewer: Do you work well under pressure”
“Me: Yes, because If there is no pressure I won’t work”
Hehe nice way of putting it.. Best, Heinrich
Genius!!
While I do agree that pressure and external commitments help in the short time I'm not sure if they are good from a long term perspective. Sure getting ahead in the first years of your career might pay off but health is nothing to compromise on either. Besides taking a step back when the pressure gets to strong and reevaluating is valuable long term wise too...During these corona times I took on a lighter schedule and just getting those 8-10h of sleep instead of 5-7h makes such a big difference. Sure you get done less but less pressure does wonders too...
Hi, thanks for your comment and sharing your perspective. Fully agree that sleep is important, also very much enjoy days where I can sleep longer :) Best! Heinrich
Finally some realistic advice/techniques. Thank you for not pretending to be perfect even though you have the traits of a high achiever.
Thank you for your comment! I am for sure far from perfect.. thanks for watching!! Best, Heinrich
The more of your videos I watch, the better I like you! You really are a big help - not only as an orientation for my way into Management Consulting, but also as a personal advisor in terms of personal growth and mindset. Love it!
In Germany we call Heinrich an "Ehrenmann"
Thank you Vincent very kind of you! ;)
Haha.
Renaissance man? What is Eheenmann?
@@priceandpride UrbanDictionary: "Ehrenmann" = German word for "man of honour". Often used by the youth after someone did something nice.
Should be teached in every german class ;)
@@FirmLearning this is the first reply I've seen a reply from you without 'best, Heinrich' at the and of the sentence😧
Hello Heinrich, great video as always ! I honestly wanna see more videos about time management. Keep up the good work.
Yes more to come - stay tuned :) Best, Heinrich
I actually prefer not to overload myself at all. So I’ve instead tried to pack a bunch of tasks into a smaller amount of time, sort of scheduling some “rush” periods, and tried to get the same effect.
Very good "down to Earth" time management video, Heinrich.
In my view, this will solve most of the cases that people have. However, I'm a believer and looking to learn more about the "state of flow". Whenever I'm in it - or at least I think I'm there - I feel a huge productivity difference. So it's not all about commitments & pressure. And I find some tools to be very helpful, and it takes me sometimes months to set them up in a way to boost productivity.
Hi Misha, thanks for your comment and sharing. What tools do you find most helpful when it comes to productivity and time management? Best! Heinrich
@Mikhail Ipatov Awesome, thanks for sharing :)
@@FirmLearning And forgot. Shortcuts, shortcuts, and shortcuts :)
Good insights Heinrich! What resonated with me is the "pressure" you mentioned, which for me ties to a "sense of urgency". Whether a person can feel it, or understand how urgent/critical the tasks are.
Couldn't agree more with you! The harsh reality is such that time management can only do so much without pressure. In essence, what you are saying:
1. Compatibility of tasks
-> Finding tasks/goals that complement each other in terms of time needs
2. Create external commitments
-> Holding oneself accountable by setting a deadline or announcing goal to the world
3. Increase your workload
-> Always pushing the boundaries of our bodies and minds, hence normalising what used to be considered 'impossible'
Wise takeaways~ Can't wait to listen to more of your experiences~ :)
Great and concise summary, thank you! :) Best, Heinrich
Great video, totally agree, never managed to stick to particular time management techniques on the long run, but when things need to be done and public commitment is there, they are. Thanks!
Great video! Please do more in the topic🎉
There‘s so much truth in your videos! Highly appreciated 👍👍 keep it up 👍
Definitely did not expect this , thank you for sharing your experiences Heinrich !
Thanks for watching Rodrigo!! :) Best, Heinrich
Im a student, reading my accounting degree online. I feel super motivated after watching this video asides from learning new ideas. Thank you!
Hi Iqbal, thanks so much for watching and your comment. Much appreciated :) Best, Heinrich
I completely agree and understand this, a nice video Heinrich
Thank you Musaab, great to hear the video resonated :) Best! Heinrich
You make very good points. Parkinson law is real and having an accountability partner works. I like the idea of getting more on your plate/overcommitting as a personal growth hack.
I can't use calendar blocking to save my life but I have found the pomodoro technique to be useful and fun to use. Its main benefit, for me, is that it puts you in a flow mode which is motivating. I am not sure you necessarily accomplish more but you do "feel" like you are more productive. And more zen. So maybe it is nice way to manage your energy and mindset.
Hi Eliane, thank you for your comment and additional insights. Appreciate it! Best, Heinrich
Once again thank you very much, this video change completely my perception of time!
Super happy to hear that, thank you Pedro! Best, Heinrich
Great video. I would only add a tip for us to try to BALANCE this over-commitment of deliverables we are pulling ourselves in because it is the excessive amount of pressure that is, along with the effects from the pandemic, making us lose our minds sometimes. Mental health will (if not already) certainly be the main disease of this century.
Hi Igor, thank you for your important comment. This for sure is important. Thanks! Heinrich
“All men have limits. They learn what they are and then learn not to exceed them. I ignore mine.” -Batman
Thanks for watching. Do see some truth in that quote ;) Best, Heinrich
@@FirmLearning That's why your channel is called "firm learning" instead of "soft learning" lol ;)
I really had to laugh in the first part of the video when you talk about pressure enabling people to manage their time, but its so true in consulting :D Nice video!
Guess there is some truth to that ;) Thanks for watching!! Best, Heinrihc
Thank you for the tips! All the best from Barcelona.
Thank YOU for watching Byron. Best from Germany! Heinrich
Thanks Heinrich - this video was really helpful! I also really like the format of you walking around outside in different places in your videos :)
Hi Megan, thanks for the feedback. Yes enjoyed doing it as well :) Best! Heinrich
Very true. I reckon most time management techniques take up valuable time and end up being an end in themselves, such as the whole six sigma thing, for instance. Not that I consider that particular methodology useless, but for that matter an engineer shouldn’t be asked to carry out duties that are not linked to their basic expertise, as it was the case in GE a couple of decades ago (I ignore how’s the situation nowadays). Instead, a dedicated team should intervene, putting in practise as well precisely their expertise. Namely, quality control.
Yes! Create external comitments! So true! Whenever someone at work makes a suggestion that we try something new, I always say, lets each make a proposal for how this new thing would work, and schedule a meeting to review the proposals in 2 weeks. Then you have to create it by that date to discuss it. Always works to actually implement ideas that would otherwise stay as vague suggestions because everybody has other priorities.
Absolutely!! Thank you for your input :)
Thanks for the video. I really liked the new perspective it gave me on productivity :)
Great to hear that :) Thank you, appreciate it! Best, Heinrich
Great video! It´s really good to hear that theory and praxis not always correspond.
Hi Solvej, this is indeed the case. Thanks for watching!! Best, Heinrich
Great insights Heinrich!
I think it definitely makes sense to utilize Parkinson’s law to maximize once output and that I would be good for anyone to test their upper boundaries. However, I think it is just one part of the overall discussion. I know you are discussing stress within consulting in other videos, but applying your time management strategy also requires a good management of pressure, which I would say is just as vital to long term success.
I find the video fairly optimistic restarting work load, and I think you motivate how this can utilized! However, I would really find it interesting to hear you elaborating on how tackle the two variables; time management á la Heinrich and pressure.
Not being able to handle the pressure would most likely make most people crash and burn (perhaps not MBB people ;) )
Thumbs up for you videos!
Hi Robin, thanks for your comment. Can very much see where you are coming from and I fully agree that that this tension exists. "More pressure" is for sure not always the answer to all questions. Trust that I will further dig into these topics in future videos. Best! Heinrich
This is such an underrated advice. Thanks!
Thank you for watching and your comment Francesco, appreciate it! Best, Heinrich
Now my time management questions have been answered to an extent. I’ve done pomodoro, however no one day ever looked the same and I could not manage what I thought was consistency. Turns out, most everything I do either takes longer or shorter than I anticipated. So, finishing things according to what I planned wasn’t always the result for me. Many times it is quite the opposite.
Thanks for sharing your experiences!
This is great! Always thought that time management only involves the pomodoro technique which wasn’t working that well with me as I tend to complete my work when I have a deadline.
Thanks for watching Michelle :) Best from Germany! Heinrich
This made incredible sense! Thanks for making such a beneficial vid👍👍
Thanks for watching, happy to hear you found it helpful! Best, Heinrich
Very informative and useful. I'd appreciate more content on time management.
Thank you Jill. Yes, might do more videos on that topic in the future! :) Best, Heinrich
@@FirmLearning That's great to hear. You have a knack for creating useful content.
You got yourself a new subscriber from Singapore.
Hi Akbar, thank you for watching. Welcome to the channel :) Best! Heinrich
I remember when I was in my bachelor's in uni and was spending my time in a rowing team on the side, my performance at uni actually improved when the training load increased. Less time to Netflix and a more rigid structure to the day drove my performance. High performance sports also taught me important lessons on performance, which helps with time-management. When the external pressure of an upcoming race was increasing, my old coaches would increase the internal pressure far beyond that level. We would clock all our times and race against other crews in the club with unrealistic handicaps (e.g. let them have a large head start). The result is that the output on race day is much higher, as the pressure on that day is safely in your comfort zone. That can also be applied to classwork: when I had exams, I would train myself in a more high-pressure environment. For example, I would do the practice problems and time myself, but more strictly than on an exam. For a problem that I would give myself 10 minutes for on the exam, I would give myself only 5 minutes during studying. The result is higher performance on your exams and in class, meaning in the long run you do not need to spend as much time on studying or repetition. Focus on being used to high-level performance and you will suddenly have more time in your day simply by being more effective.
Thanks, this helps a lot Heinrich!
Great to hear that, thank you for watching! Best, Heinrich
great content, keep up the good work
Thank you Michael!!
Thank you for this!😊
Thank YOU for watching Rishabh! Best, Heinrich
Thank you for giving honest advice and getting wrapped up in all that self-help s***. It would be nice to hear more practical examples from your personal experience.
Thanks for the comment and for watching! Yes for sure, stay tuned for future videos :) Best! Heinrich
Hi Heinrich, can you make a video on how to track your to dos, cause I still struggle keeping track of all my work with different deadline etc... How do you handle it ? Do you use checklist, eisenhower matrix or something else? Best,
Awesome Video! Not a popular opinion but simply the truth.
Thanks for watching Alex :)
Great video. This is my 2nd time watching it because i am under very high workload and stress at work. So this helps. However: does this mean it is ok to regularly work late hours, weekends, etc? especially that i am not a junior anymore and just had a baby. Or should i commit to finish work every day at a reasonable time and not work on w.e. ? and only work late/w.e. exceptionally? Some people actually use this rule to limit their work hours and keep free time off work for family etc as a technique to create more pressure at work to get everything done on time... do you agree? Thanks
Glad that you enjoyed the video! I think it is important to decide what is important to you and making time for that! I wish you the best with dealing with all of this going forward :)
Set a clear bouduary for your work. In the past I worked also in the weekends and I was very close to burnout. Then I tried to set a firm bounduary: no work on Sunday, and my income doubled! Then I restrictd the bounduary even more: work only half day on saturday and don't work at all after 19:30. My income raised another time! The reason is that you work much better if you properly refill your energy.
Well, i can say for soft topics like m&a, transformations, etc. that time pressure thing might be right. You got deadlines to hold, you do stuff to get it delivered. Most of the times the story is good in 20 min. But to really shape its wording and so on can take days, weeks if necessary.
What Heinrich completely ignored is technical consultancy/Implementation (what McKinsey never delivers,only concepts). If you are alone and commit in Deadlines and have a shitload of Meetings and some guys not stoöping throwing requirements over the fence - this is real borderline work
Hi, thanks for your comment! Yes agree with you, in many more complex projects you will have dependencies to other teams etc. and this for sure needs to be taken into account when planning your work. Also briefly mentioned in the video that good project management techniques are of course important and also used in consulting and similar careers. This video was intended to rather cover these "productivity hacks" and "time management hacks" that so many coaches and courses currently try to sell you. Best! Heinrich
@@FirmLearning there's no time productivity hacks
May you prepare a short video how you are managing your priorities and day , showing execution may be make it more clear for many of us? Thank you
Hi, thanks for your comment! Yes this is actually a good idea, might pick this up in the future!! Best, Heinrich
I can’t fully agree with the recommendations. Productivity may start fighting with quality, multitasking may lead to loosing focus. So better count on your personal experience. To me better take focus on 2 things, but do it in a shorter timeframe then have multiple small activities. Also there should be some breaks between high load periods so that you can slower down and take a rest before run one more sprint))) but with deadlines pressure - it works for sure.
Hi, thanks for watching and sharing your perspective. Agree, these for sure are some good points. Best! Heinrich
I think Heinrich has a somewhat difficult community. They demand so much from him and are so critical !
Thanks for your empathetic comment :) I take it as a motivation to further improve with the videos in the future! Best, Heinrich
How do you guard against burnout?
Agree that deadlines concentrate the mind. If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it. But could you do a video on tips to manage a big workload, for example working smarter not harder?
Hi Alistair, thank you! Yes, there are for sure some relevant tips and techniques to cover on that topic. Might pick it up in the future, thanks! Best, Heinrich
This makes a lot of sense, but how would you ensure not burning out if actively put more on your plate than you think you can handle?
Hi Fabian, yes fully agree, mental health is of course important and should always be prioritized. Trust that everyone needs to find his / her own right balance in this regard. Best, Heinrich
I almost never dislike videos, but this is an exclusion. I dislike it in hope other people would see it less. If you did not burn out yet or had a heat attack and truly following these ‘tips’, you will be there soon.
Hi Igor, sorry to hear the video did not appeal to you. Fully agree that just „doing more work“ is not the answer to every problem and I tried to also provide some context to that in the video (and also in answers to some of the other comments). You are absolutely right to point out that protecting one‘s mental health should always be the highest priority. Best, Heinrich
Does it mean that those popular practices help in understand the pressure and adapt?
Hi Yusuf, do not think that these practices really help to deal with pressure and adapt. Though different people might have different reactions to these things! Best, Heinrich
@@FirmLearning Thanks for your reply :)
Good content, Heinrich! I was searching in your channel content for preparation and management of workshops but there is nothing yet. I think it would be an interesting subject for your channel ;). Cheers! Javier
Hi Javier, thanks for your suggestion. Yes indeed sounds like a great topic for a future video :) Well noted! Best, Heinrich
heimlich, great advice!
Super happy to hear that - thanks! :) Best, Heinrich
Hey Heinrich, I'm 25 just started as a jr.Consultant in a small Consultancy in Switzerland and wondered, if you have some advice for managing the work life balance. With my friends still doing their Masters and living the student life, me dating a younger girl and in general engaging with ppl who do have a completely different work and time table. What is your advice in that regard? How did you plan you free time? KR David
Hi David, thanks for your comment. Indeed this is a question that is not easily answered and probably different people find balance at different levels. Have already a video related to this on my ideas list - stay tuned! :) Best, Heinrich
Actually this is also my experience. To get things done one need to set up some elaborate goals in the mind. Sometimes it feels like juggeling but it will for sure help to achieve more.
Fully agree :) Thanks for watching and your comment Jonas! Best, Heinrich
Great vídeo!
Thank you Rodrigo!! Best, Heinrich
I don't know wheather the things that I am doing are conflicting each other or not and I try to do more things but end up procrastinating and doing nothing pls help me with that
Some of this is true Heinrich, but you're talking about volumes of work. Yes deadlines always focus the mind and one of my techniques is always to try and do at least one extra small thing a day, whether it's a follow up call, email etc. Where I don't agree is thr idea that all techniques don't work. I think the Eisenhower matrix is a good one to help make sure you so the tasks or activities you need to for medium to long-term growth. That's about the right mix, rather than just volume
Hi Roman, thanks for your comment. Yes agree that there is some value in some techniques. Eisenhower matrix is more about prioritization. Setting the right priorities and prioritizing your work accordingly is super relevant and important also in fields like consulting. Therefore fully agree! Thanks for watching! Best, Heinrich
Great video Heinrich. What’s your PB on the marathon, if I may ask?
Hi James, sure, marathon PB is 3:46h. For sure some room for improvement ;) Best! Heinrich
@@FirmLearning well done! You convinced me to enrol for the next marathons well ahead of time as from now, keep the pressure high 🏃🏼
@@denjames awesome! also signed up for the next one in September. Hard to believe it will really take place, but at least some training motivation :)
All agree with this tips and tricks. Creating yourself deadlines to make you accountable to achieve, works very well for me. I also use to put a lot of my to do list for the day which most certainly helps me to achieve more. However, i feel that this tips has his limits. In my case, let me sometimes with a feeling of frustration and not achieving all I was hoping for. Any tips how to overcome that limitation ?
Hi, thanks for watching and your comment! Agree that as with most things, there is only that much you can achieve with this attitude and it has limits. Not getting something done can indeed also be frustrating, though for me the positive sides of being more productive overall outweigh this disadvantage. Best! Heinrich
excellent video bro!
Thanks for watching!! :) Best, Heinrich
Thank you Heinrich! I love your approach to overcommitting. However, I often get the feedback that I overpromise and underdeliver, that I should do and focus on less. How do you manage expectations when setting high goals and ambitions? Looking forward to your reply :)
Hi Philip, thanks for your comment! Here indeed important to have the bigger picture in mind, agree that there will be areas that are so critical that you should not let them slip. Of course correct and important to prioritize these over other tasks that are not as mission critical. As also discussed in other videos, good prioritization is for sure an important and highly relevant skill in consulting and similar careers. Best! Heinrich
Great advice!
Great to hear that - thanks for watching Naqeeb! Best, Heinrich
The problem is on what you focus - quality will suffer if you compress time or increase task scope. Nowadays, often the Pareto principle is praised - 80% quality is good enough. However, if you value quality goods and want to produce them like a medieval craftsmen then your focus must shift from crazy workload to crazy attention to detail. And craftsmanship is on the rise again...
Hi Roman, yes good point. Agree that you carefully need to evaluate to what you want to apply these principles. There for sure are areas where 100% quality is very much worth the time investment. Best! Heinrich
I wonder who your camera man is
My guess is camera woman ;)
Camera woman indeed ;) Best! Heinrich
Great video!
Thanks for watching Felix, appreciate it! Best, Heinrich
Heinrich, thanks. Could you talk about your background in philosophy? I have a master degree in philosophy and I'm always thinking about management epistemology and its political implications. I'd love to know your thoughts about this.
Hi Luis, thanks for watching! What exactly do you mean with "management epistemology and its political implications"? ;) Best, Heinrich
@@FirmLearning It's difficult to summarize all of this reflections on a TH-cam comment. ;) But, for the sake of an answer: 1) managerialism and democracy, do you think there is a tension? 2) Thinking with Foucault about neoliberal governmentality and management, do you think management discourses can be dangerous to the way freedom is thinked? 3) Thousands more... but I'll leave it there! :D Once again, thanks for your videos!! Great Channel!!
Hi Heinrich, many thanks for all the great content - your videos are incredibly insightful.
I'm curious about your comment on increasing workloads - I've always been quite conservative in the things I commit to but don't struggle to get them all done on time (most of the time). However, as an aspiring consultant, I'm worried this might not be seen as good quality at an MBB firm for example.
What are your thoughts?
Hey Heinrich love your videos! What do you think about the idea of overloading yourself with work vs. the [maybe industry myth] of “burning out”? (Also I don’t know if you’ve made a video about “burning out” yet but I woudl love to watch it! I hear it talked about a lot and I think it’s bs
Hi! Of course you should be careful of not burning out / make sure that the stress level is sustainable for your personal resilience. Though my personal impression is that burn out does not necessarily have something to do with the working hours and your task utilization, but rather other aspects such as working conditions, relationships with colleagues etc. Stay healthy! Best, Heinrich
Nice to-the-point video. I agree that the more one takes on the more the pressure there is and so more will get done, however I think it's important as well to keep in mind the focus on priorities and how these contribute to achieving one's goals through a strategy, not to get too scattered along the way.
Glad to hear you liked the video, appreciate it Jacek - also for sharing your view! Best, Heinrich
Hello, my name is Heinrich and today, I‘m showing you what a midtown-uniform is
;) Thanks for watching!! Best, Heinrich
Pro tip: play the video at 1.5x speed
:) Thanks for watching!! Best, Heinrich
Fun fact: LMU also stands for Lower Munich University ;)
Best regards, A TUM student
Lots of love going out to all my TUM friends ;)
It takes so much time just trying to manage my time, I’m exhausted
Thats indeed exactly the point ;) Hold that people that really are busy do not have time for "time management". Best! Heinrich
hmmmm....perhaps you are chasing 20 goals instead of just 1 or 2 or 3 ?
8:20 Why are you running?
Hi Radon, well in the context of the video, because I wanted to do the Marathon :) Best, Heinrich
This is 100% true
Thanks for watching! :)
Pareto is 80% of the answer when it comes to time management ;)
Yes, Pareto or 80/20 rule is also a super important concept. Actually also a good topic for a future video :) Best! Heinrich
Good try. But your video title is completely wrong. All what you said is true and all are required tools and techniques for time management. Time management is all about prioritization and focusing on what is important and urgent in the first place and you did a good job in managing your time by doing what you have done. Cheers.
Thanks for your comment! What I wanted to emphasize with the title is that all these new fancy time management techniques that many coaches and courses try to "sell" you are not really required for good and effective time management. A good sense for prioritization and focus is of course super important and relevant though, fully agree. Thanks for watching! Best, Heinrich
@@FirmLearning yes agree with you. Let me tell you a little secret here. There is no anything called time management on earth. Because you cannot manage time. But you can manage yourself. Time is fixed for all creatures on earth and divided equally. We all have 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 30 days a month, etc etc. So, we need to manage ourselves (self management) to benefit from the time we have daily or weekly or monthly to achieve our tasks and objectives in a nice way with minimum stress. You may or may not agree with me. Cheers.
You are sooo happy. #sanaALL
Thanks for watching! Best, H
Great vid! Are your videos scripted? Can you do a vid on how to improve public speaking? E.g. articulating, pace of speech, hand gestures etc
Hi Sam, thanks for watching! I usually prepare a rough outline with bullet points for the videos though not a complete script. Public speaking indeed an interesting topic - potentially also for a future video - though I think there are other people more qualified to talk about this than me. Thanks for your comment! Best, Heinrich
me too doing two bachelor degrre
Awesome - way to go! :) For sure was a very enriching experience for me.
@@FirmLearning i too want to become a consultant an a mbb firm or open my own wealth management firm . although i am in 1st year of my undergrad , but i know what i want to do and this keeps me motivated , and your videos too , they keep giving some insider insights.
Did you have any life?
@@priceandpride I do .
Good content / advice, but that walking toward the camera so close is annoying as F
Hi Levi, thanks for the feedback! Yes agree that the angle is not ideal :)
The tips are cool but the last tip about committing to more than you think you can do sounds like a path to getting overworked and mental health issues.
Hi Florence, thanks for your comment! Yes fully agree, your mental (and physical) health should always come first. Best! Heinrich
Skip to 2:50
Thanks for watching Cristhian!! Best, H
me doing a math bachelor: lots of work during semester and lots of exams at the end 😅
Trust it is worth it ;)
I am a home maker. I hardly get 3 hers of free time. How can I pursue a 5 year graduation with only 3 hrs per day?
Hi Adisum, thanks for your comment. Not sure I fully understand what you mean. Why do you only have 3 hours of daily free time? What do you mean with 5 yr graduation? Best! Heinrich
This advice is very risky. I say this because it doesn’t seem to account for individual differences and seems to general. I agree with Parkinson’s law and the power of accountability partners. But as a leader (and a human), I know that people handle pressure differently. Some people need to build momentum. To create desirable outcomes, some need to invest more energy on identification and planning before they execute. External pressure alone is not the “magic bullet” for productivity. It’s just an important factor.
Hi, thanks for sharing your perspective. Agree that "more pressure" is not the one size fits all answer to productivity. It is indeed important to balance it with your life and psychological health. Best! Heinrich
@@FirmLearning thanks for the reply. How was my top-down communication? 😆
Not even PARKINSONS LAW works for me. What the fuck is wrong with me? Overload myself with other activities? That means instead of doing work from 2PM-8PM I do work from 9PM-3AM.
So, basically overcommit.
For sure one way to put it :) Thanks for watching Emile! Best, Heinrich
I thought this advice was helpful. It doesn't make sense to spend so much effort managing your time if you don't have actual commitments to manage it for
hmmm...didn't know Mark Zuckerberg had a youtube channel.
;) Thanks for watching Omar, much appreciated!! Best, Heinrich
Eden Hazard
Not the first who is writing this. Never hear this before TH-cam :D