Detailed Summary of "How I Manage My Time – The Triage System" by Ali Abdaal
Summaries of Youtube videos which I found to be - OmegaAwesome!
Hi,
I am using GPTs to extract transcripts of videos on youtube I found Id want to revisit, and then building summaries for it. It’s something I saved on a personal Google Doc, but then why not use this place also to store whatever I find valuable.
Ali Abdaal is a doctor and the techniques he tells in this video of course will help in managing tasks and time better, but to me - its a way to reduce anxiety and stress.
Link to the video :
Ali Abdaal introduces The Triage System, a time management method inspired by his experience as a doctor. He explains that the order in which tasks are completed matters more than the number of tasks accomplished. The system comprises six core principles:
1. Understanding Triage in Time Management
In an emergency room, doctors prioritize patients based on urgency, not arrival order.
Reality Check: To-do lists are infinitely long. You will never finish everything.
The solution is not doing everything but doing the most important things first.
2. The Daily Reset Method
Inspired by doctors carrying folded paper to write, revise, and shred their daily to-dos.
Key Concept: Start each day fresh with a blank sheet and rewrite only the important tasks.
Ali's Process:
Uses a Morning Manifesto (3-5 mins) to:
Prime his mindset (gratitude, mental focus).
Remind himself of quarterly priorities.
Plan the most important task of the day.
Uses a pen and paper system to write down 1 major task + 2-3 secondary tasks.
3. The Handwritten Box Method
Doctors don’t tick off tasks; instead, they use a progress-tracking method:
Diagonal line: Task started.
Half-shaded box: Task partially completed.
Fully shaded box: Task done.
Crossed out: Task completed and no further action needed.
Why this works:
Tracks real-time progress without relying on memory.
Provides dopamine boosts at each milestone.
Avoids the "all or nothing" completion mindset.
4. Real-Time Triage: Prioritization is Key
The Eisenhower Matrix:
Urgent & Important: Do it now.
Important but Not Urgent: Schedule it.
Urgent but Not Important: Delegate it.
Neither Urgent nor Important: Ignore it.
Doctors constantly re-triage based on new emergencies. This applies to daily work:
Your initial to-do list is not sacred; be flexible.
Avoid spending time on urgent but unimportant tasks (emails, Slack pings).
Focus on tasks that drive long-term impact.
5. The Ward Round Protocol
Daily reviews in hospitals = Weekly reviews in personal projects.
Ali’s Personal System:
Projects are assigned a status:
🟢 On track
🟡 Off track (but with a plan)
🔴 Off track (no plan)
🔵 On ice (paused)
Each project must have:
A clear next action (not just "continue").
Tasks ordered by priority, not randomness.
Why this works:
Prevents backlog overwhelm.
Ensures every project has forward momentum.
Forces clarity: No vague “work on it” tasks—everything has a specific next step.
6. Intentional Incompletion: Accepting Imperfection
Doctors don’t finish all tasks every day—they prioritize survival.
Ali’s Story:
As a junior doctor, he tried to skip lunch to clear his workload.
A senior doctor told him: “The work will never end. You must take breaks.”
Key Lessons:
You will never finish your to-do list, and that’s okay.
Burnout happens when you think you must finish everything.
Leaving things undone is a skill—know what to drop without guilt.
7. The 2-for-1 Hour Rule: Early Hours = Higher Output
A morning hour is worth two evening hours.
Energy is higher before 9 AM and low after 5 PM.
Ali’s Strategy:
Created YouTube videos before work.
Chose 4 PM – Midnight shifts to get morning free for projects.
Biggest takeaway: Work on high-value tasks first thing in the morning.
Final Takeaways
Time management isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing the right things first.
Start fresh daily to avoid accumulating unnecessary tasks.
Use physical tracking systems to maintain clarity.
Re-triage constantly—not all tasks need completion.
Learn to drop tasks guilt-free and prioritize your energy.
If something is important, do it early in the day.
