Applying Financial Thinking to Time Management for Product Managers

After returning from the holiday, the speaker, Chen Zhandong, a product manager with over ten years of experience at JD.com, shares a framework for managing time using financial thinking.

He introduces the concept of "time ROI" (Time Return on Investment), defined as the product of task return, task method, and task efficiency, and presents a simple formula: Time ROI = Task Return × Task Method × Task Efficiency .

The article outlines three factors influencing time ROI:

Task Return Rate: The inherent value of the task itself; not all tasks yield the same return, so distinguishing between urgent and important work is crucial.

Task Method: Using the right approach, such as delegating low‑value or non‑core tasks to others (leveraging "leverage"), to focus on high‑impact activities.

Task Efficiency: Maximizing personal productivity by applying the 80/20 rule—spending peak energy periods on the top 20% of critical tasks and handling the remaining 80% during lower‑energy periods.

He categorizes tasks into three groups:

Must‑Do Tasks: Important and urgent items that should be prioritized early in the day.

Less‑Do Tasks: Activities that consume time without long‑term benefit and should be minimized.

Do‑Not‑Do Tasks: Tasks outside one's core responsibilities or expertise, such as trivial errands, which should be eliminated.

A practical daily task allocation checklist is provided, recommending no more than six tasks per day, assigning time blocks, working when in a good state, using fragmented time for reading or thinking, and avoiding time‑wasting habits.

The article concludes with a reflection on the importance of regular retrospection and introduces a simple work‑log template (KPTP): K: Keep – what was accomplished today P: Problem – issues encountered T: Try – how to address the problems P: Plan – tomorrow's plan

By treating time as a financial asset and applying ROI thinking, product managers can achieve higher efficiency, better focus on strategic work, and continuous improvement through systematic review.