A Master of Time is a Master of Sleep
A Master of Time is a Master of Sleep
When people talk about time management, they usually jump to calendars, productivity hacks, or the latest time-blocking app. Those are useful, but I’ve learned that effective time management begins much earlier — with sleep.
As the father of two young daughters — Salma (18 months) and Mina (2 months) — I know firsthand how fragile sleep can feel. Owning a fast-growing restaurant while also pursuing high-impact product design work doesn’t leave much margin for error. But I’ve come to see that a structured sleep schedule isn’t just a luxury; it’s the foundation. A rested mind makes sharper design decisions, leads teams with clarity, and shows up fully — whether that’s at the drawing board, in the kitchen, or at home reading bedtime stories.
From Rest to Results
Sleep is like the underlying system design of your life. If it’s unstable, everything else wobbles. If it’s solid, everything downstream works better. When I’ve had consistent rest, I can move between user flows in Figma, investor conversations for Afghan Burrito, and the chaos of parenthood without feeling like I’m running on fumes.
That rhythm gives me focus. It ensures the hours I dedicate to design are creative and productive, and that the hours I dedicate to my business and my family are present and intentional.
Time Management in Business
Running Afghan Burrito has reinforced this truth: in business, time is capital. Every hour must be consciously allocated between operations, growth, and brand-building. Without structure, urgent tasks overwhelm important ones. Prioritization — powered by consistent energy — keeps the business healthy.
And the same is true in design. Product design can expand to fill infinite hours, but disciplined time management forces clarity: What’s the most impactful thing I can deliver this sprint? Which explorations matter, and which should I park? By treating time as finite, I keep my design work strategic and outcome-driven.
Designing Time Like Products
Good design is about intention. Time management is, too. Both ask the same essential question: What matters most, and how do we create space for it?
For me, it starts with sleep — the first design choice of every day. From there, it extends into daily rhythms, prioritization frameworks, and focused execution. Whether I’m caring for Salma and Mina, running Afghan Burrito, or driving product design work at scale, time management is the operating system that makes it all possible.
Time isn’t just something to manage. It’s something to design — thoughtfully, intentionally, and with the same care we give to the products we create.
