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How Do I Build An Autopilot Schedule for Unpredictable Work?


Chapters

0:0 Cal's Intro
0:11 Cal reads a question about Autopilot schedules
0:45 Cal explains time
1:5 Cal suggests 2 core blocks each day

Transcript

All right, let's do one more question here. This one comes from David. David asks, how do you deal with unpredictable autopilot schedules? He elaborates, I'm a graduate student in mechanical engineering. Sometimes my professors do not post or assign homework on the same time every week, which gets in the way of my attempts to automate my coursework so I can focus on research.

How can I construct an autopilot schedule that takes into account the unreliabilities of my professors? Well, David, first of all, you have plenty of time because you're a graduate student, and when you're a graduate student, you feel like it's the hardest thing that has ever happened. And as soon as you graduate from being a graduate student, have any type of real job, you look back and say that is the easiest possible job you can have.

Everything seems hard while you're there, but you have a ton of autonomy and a ton of time. So I'm not too worried. I'm not too worried about your situation here. This is what I would suggest. Have two core blocks every day. And these get split between research and coursework.

And you can make assignment changes as needed throughout the week. So maybe if you don't get your homework till Tuesday, you're going to take a one of these two blocks on Wednesday and one of the two blocks on Thursday to do the homework. And if another week you get assigned to work at the end of day Friday, then maybe you're taking the two blocks on Monday.

And this is all being done with coursework. So just make a just in time binding of work type to the predetermined blocks. But the key thing is these predetermined blocks happen every day. I do this in the morning, maybe do a block in the morning, then I go exercise and do some other things.

And then I do a block in the afternoon. And here is where I go to do them. And here is the coffee I bring in. It's automated. I don't even have to think about it. Most of those blocks are me doing research. Some of them are me working on coursework.

Which is which? Well, it depends on when these devious, unreliable professors decide they are going to assign them. And we are a devious bunch. We try our hardest to make your life hard. But I think in this case, you are going to win by doing just in time binding on your autopilot schedules.