This article is particularly written for someone who has just transformed from a craftsman to a manager.
By craftsman, I mean someone whose work is 80% focused on getting things done without interruption (ideally in a flow state), such as a software engineer, scriptwriter, or video editor.
A manager, on the other hand, is someone whose work involves 80% small tasks, like hosting meetings and communicating (emailing and live chats).
I wanted to write this article because I went through the same transition. I was a software engineer in 2021, got promoted to a data & analytics manager in 2023, and now I run my own business.
At the start of my managerial journey, I used the craftsman approach to manage tasks, which caused problems. I realized I needed to rethink the root causes of the failures and take action to fix them.
By learning and re-iterating optimized practices, I have come up with four actionable items that you can adopt today to better manage your tasks.
before that, let’s learn the difference between managing tasks as a craftsman and a manager
Let’s explore the nature of a craftsman and a manager.
A craftsman focuses on the “how”: how to get things done. They are skilled, patient, and attentive to details. They accomplish tasks hands-on.
In contracts, a manager focuses on the “what”: what needs to be done. Their position allows them to view a project with a broader perspective.
Instead of getting their hands dirty, they strategically deploy the right talent to handle the details. They must ensure every step is done correctly to keep the project and the organization moving forward.
When we look into their corresponding job nature, we’ll see that most of their work is quite different. A manager’s day often involves tasks like attending meetings and communicating via emails and instant messages.
I call this type of work “shallow work”, as it requires less mental energy and focus.
On the contrary, the majority of a craftsman’s work is “deep work”, which demands a high level of mental energy and focus.
Typically, someone engaged in “deep work” will enter a flow state - a mental state where they’re fully focused on a single task or activity.
As we can see, categorizing a task into deep or shallow work depends on its mental energy demands. This classification affects our approach to task management to stay productive.
four things I’ve adopted to get things done right
001 - Build system to deal with repetitive reactive tasks
When I first transitioned to a management role, I was overwhelmed by the shallow work related to project management and communications. At that time, I simply reacted to all of them.
Clearly, this was not an effective approach and I struggled with these tasks. I missed a few deadlines because I failed to communicate with my delivery team.
To address the issues, I started to observe my daily shallow work and identify the pattern from them. I extract the repetitive tasks out and create a system around them.
For example, when our team was expanding, I recruited several content writers to support SEO content delivery. Before creating the system, the new writers frequently contacted me for shared drive access, thumbnail design templates, and more.
To resolve this problem, I created a repository for each active client project. Inside the repository, the writers could find everything they needed: project details, brand voice requirements, CMS (content management system) login information, and more.
It was like a knowledge base where answers could be found. Once it was created, the number of inquiries dropped significantly, freeing up my time for more meaningful tasks.
As we can see, having a system to handle repetitive reactive tasks is crucial for a manager's job.
002 - Set up a business-as-usual session everyday and batch all the shallow tasks in it
Not every shallow task can be extracted from your daily work to create a system around them. There are always outliers in the space.
From my observations, tasks that fall into the outlier category are often unpredictable and subtle.
These traits give them a common characteristic: they’re not plannable.
The best way to handle these kinds of unplannable tasks is to group them all into a session called BAU (Business-as-usual), which refers to the execution of standard functional operations within an organization.
On a normal workday, I have two BAU sessions: one right after lunch and one before the end of the day. This setting would cover any unpredictable reactive tasks that arise during the workday.
The benefit of having regular BAU sessions is that you’re always completing the steps needed to maintain momentum on your projects. You’re handling subtle tasks and maintaining timely communication, whether it’s calling the bank to fix a transaction issue, reporting to a client, or following up with a freelancer during the hiring process... you name it.
Having at least one BAU session every day will keep you on track with your work.
003 - Construct meaningful conversation: active listening and next action
When I was a craftsman, I usually received clear instructions in a written format outlining all the details I needed to cover. As a manager, my task was the reverse; I communicated with clients about what they wanted and drafted detailed instructions.
A technique I use to construct meaningful conversations is active listening. During any conversation, I actively listen to the other person and collect information I need to complete the work, or information my craftsman teammate needs to do their job.
I use a note-taking app whenever I have a conversation with the contact point, whether it's a phone call, an online video call, or any other form of communication. The essence of this practice is to jot down important information immediately during the conversation.
After the conversation, I take some time to organize the information shared and create a summary that covers the ideas discussed and the next actions. Then I mark the next action in my Todoist app and calendar so I can either do the work or properly follow up if it's delegated to my team.
Without the next action, a conversation is meaningless and should be avoided at all costs.
004 - Two minutes rule - kickstart any work in less than two minutes
I have unlearned my approach to starting work when I transitioned from a craftsman to a manager.
I was a software engineer, and there was a ritual for me to start the deep work. I would need to wear my airpod, play a 40Hz binaural beat to stay focused and have a cup of coffee at my fingertips so that I can drink it when I want.
As a software engineer, I had a ritual to start deep work: I would wear my AirPods, play a 40Hz binaural beat to stay focused, and have a cup of coffee at my fingertips for when I needed it.
This ritual might not work for shallow tasks. No one needs AirPods and a 40Hz binaural beat just to reply to an email.
When shallow work becomes the majority of a manager’s duties, we should keep the two-minute rule in mind.
This concept comes from David Allen’s GTD(Getting Things Done) methodology, which suggests that if you face a task that you can complete in two minutes or less, you should do it immediately rather than postponing it or adding it to your to-do-list.
I’d expand the idea further: instead of thinking about whether a task can be finished within two minutes, we should focus on the mindset of kick-starting any work by spending less than two minutes on it initially.
For example, creating an invoice obviously takes more than two minutes to complete. However, navigating to Google Drive - where the invoice template is stored - takes less than two minutes. In this scenario, you should kick-start the work no matter what.
By adopting the two-minute rule, you can ensure that you don’t procrastinate on small tasks and help build momentum for more significant work.
What’s next
Thank you for reading this far. I begin each article with the goal of teaching something valuable, and I hope you've learned something today.
Transitioning from a craftsman to a manager is a journey where you learn and unlearn productivity management practices.
It's okay to fail during the early stages. Correct your mistakes, and you’ll soon master the essence of managing yourself as a manager. :)