Does over-scheduling or going with the flow work best for indie hackers? Here's how Leila Hormozi, John Rush, and others do
it.
She schedules every hour of every day. He just wings it day after day, no fancy system in sight. Both are happier than ever.
Some founders schedule every minute of their day, while others opt for an intuition-based approach.
Founders with the Manager's mindset love the classic Zebra calendar. Those with Maker's approach stick to big blocks for deeper focus.
Know your biggest goals, block time for them, don’t skip breaks, and review your progress each week.
Indie hackers often find themselves wearing a million hats: coding, marketing, customer support, you name it. The systems to manage this chaos vary. Some folks map out every hour (yes, even down to five-minute increments sometimes), while others just wing it with a blank calendar.
Paul Graham once dubbed this the “Maker’s Schedule, Manager’s Schedule.” The “manager” mindset splits the day into tiny 30-minute blocks for meetings and tasks (the classic zebra calendar). Meanwhile, the “maker” mindset leans into longer, freestyle sprints for the most important or exciting projects of the moment. So how do founders actually walk this tightrope between structure and spontaneity?
Let’s see how some real entrepreneurs handle it.
The manager's mindset
Some founders fill every waking hour with tasks. Their calendars become rainbows of color-coded blocks. If something isn't scheduled, it doesn't exist.
So, how do actual entrepreneurs handle this balancing act?
Let’s kick things off with Leila Hormozi, who by the time she was 28 had built a $100M business and now 4 years later, she manages a $500M portfolio. She keeps her schedule organized but flexible. She starts by listing all the projects and tasks that need to be done for the week. Then, she figures out what’s the most important and ranks it all. Before diving into work, she blocks out time for breaks. Next, she blocks out time for her tasks and projects. She also sets aside extra time for unexpected things.
But Leila’s not the only one who swears by a solid schedule.
Rob Dyrdek lives a deeply automated life that helped him build his $350M wealth. He basically plans out his whole life on a calendar — from his mornings and date nights with his wife to time with his kids and all his meetings. He’s got a structure for how he handles mornings, weekends, and everything in between. But he still keeps it flexible depending on his mood. The key for him is having a baseline schedule so he knows exactly how valuable every hour is. At the end of the day he just lives "super balanced and happy life."
That's Rob Dyrdek's calendar.
If you think that’s meticulous, wait until you hear about Elon Musk.
Elon splits his day into 5-minute chunks. With 216 five-minute slots in an 18-hour day (assuming 6 hours of sleep), he lists his tasks, prioritizes them, and assigns realistic time estimates. Using a 5-minute planner, he schedules everything while leaving room for surprises, and setting rules for handling interruptions like calls or unexpected events. Musk also plans regular 10-minute breaks every 1–2 hours to recharge and handle less urgent matters like emails.
The maker approach
On the flip side, plenty of indie hackers can’t stand rigid schedules. They kick off the day with a loose set of priorities and switch gears as cool opportunities pop up. That’s great for chasing new trends or jumping on last-minute problems, but once your projects start getting crazy, winging it can mean wasted time and missed chances.
John Rush swears by his unscheduled calendar. He believes that every little task, goal, or priority should be memorized and then the ones he remembers as the most important ones should be worked on throughout the day.
"I let complex ideas fight the race in my memory to be remembered. 95% are dying in that fight and I never recall them. I never write down plans. Because once you wrote it down, you are less likely to question its relevance again.
I use no PM software at all, no jira or linear"
Sounds risky? To be fair, John claims to have trained his memory to near perfection. He also manages 30~ businesses, so he might know what he's talking about.
Then there's Shaan Puri, the millionaire behind the My First Million podcast, who keeps things super simple. No to-do lists, no jam-packed calendar. Every morning, he asks himself one question:
"What's the one thing or outcome I'm going to work on that if I just did that one thing today would be a win"
Shaan's philosophy is "be effective, not efficient." He believes that often being efficient is all about being busy. Instead, he figures out which tasks give him the biggest leverage and goes all in on them, even if it takes a few days. By zeroing in on what really matters, he ends up doing fewer things overall and doesn’t get stuck chasing endless to-do lists. Plus, he always tackles the biggest thing first thing in the morning. This way, he gets the important stuff out of the way early and doesn’t feel like he needs to work extra hours. It’s all about doing what really matters for him.
But it wasn't always like that. Back when Shaan was a manager, he had to handle meetings and keep a hectic schedule. He figured out how to pack most of his managerial tasks into 2-3 days each week, leaving the other days free for his “one big idea.”
Pat Walls from Starter Story has a slightly different approach. He doesn't schedule anything else on his calendar except time blocks for his "Deep Work." Other than that, he uses Apple Notes for his daily checklist. At first glance, it seems a bit spontaneous or chaotic, but Pat has a solid system behind it. That's how he describes it:
Set a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) that scares you a bit. Aim high so, even if you fall short, you still win.
Next, find your "Batcave" — a dedicated workspace like a coffee shop, library, or even your closet. It switches your brain to work mode.
Pat uses his "Matryoshka Doll Technique" to break his big goal into main categories, and then into smaller tasks. Keep simplifying until it’s manageable.
Prioritize what moves the needle. Skip the minor stuff that doesn’t move you forward.
Finally, eliminate all distractions. Use site blockers, put your phone away, and concentrate on one thing at a time.
Key takeaways
Time management isn’t a one-size-fits-all deal. Some people thrive when every hour of their day is planned out; others need more freedom. But when it comes to the main key points of these systems, there are a few must-know aspects every indie hacker needs to keep in mind:
Figure out your big goals and prioritize tasks based on your dream outcome.
Block out time for your top-priority tasks — whether that’s with big, flexible chunks of “deep work” or your zebra calendar.
Don’t forget to schedule breaks.
Every week, take a little time to look back on what worked (and what flopped), and tweak your game plan accordingly.
Redefining productivity
There’s no one “perfect” way to run your schedule. Some founders become productivity ninjas with detailed calendars, while others let their intuition run the show.
The key is to test, tweak, and figure out the sweet spot between structure and spontaneity so you can keep building, stay sane, and actually enjoy the ride. And hey, if what you’re doing right now isn’t working, steal the parts of systems from these entrepreneurs and see what sticks. Happy hacking!
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I think it depends on the type of work you’re doing. For creative or technical tasks, flow works best. For meetings or admin work, strict scheduling helps. Most indie hackers probably need both in different phases of the same week.
Great post! I really like how this breaks down the balance between structure and flexibility.
I’ve noticed the same thing while running my own small content project, it’s a simple site that tracks menu items and prices, but keeping everything updated and SEO-optimized actually requires a hybrid approach.
I plan structured “update days” each week for menu changes and keyword checks, but I also leave open space for creative tweaks or testing new content layouts. Too much structure kills creativity, but no structure means missing updates and in my case, outdated info.
For me, the sweet spot has been mixing both systems: scheduled maintenance for reliability, and flexible blocks for experimentation.
Great question! I think the best system really depends on the nature of your work. Some fields thrive on flexible “go with the flow” blocks, while others require tight scheduling.
Take something like aftermathbailbonds. com as an example. Their world is unpredictable—calls can come in at 2 a.m., and clients need immediate help. That kind of business demands structure, responsiveness, and systems to make sure nothing slips. Indie hackers, on the other hand, might benefit from more creative freedom, but they can still borrow that discipline of setting priorities and sticking to key blocks.
So maybe it’s not about picking one extreme but about adapting your scheduling style to the demands of what you’re building.
Indie hackers balance structure and spontaneity differently. Leila Hormozi favors tight scheduling for focus and growth. John Rush prefers flexibility to stay creative and avoid burnout. Many combine both—scheduling key tasks while leaving room for exploration. The best approach depends on personal style, energy levels, and business stage.
Both approaches have their place, but it really depends on your personality and stage of the project. I’ve seen indie hackers like Leila Hormozi succeed with structured systems, while others like John Rush thrive in flexibility. Personally, I try to blend both structure for priorities, flow for creativity.
Thanks for the article. I love how very different approaches can lead to similar results depending on a person's preference. I hate calendar and I'm very bad with time management but I do love me some extremely advance task management.
Really interesting breakdown. I’ve tried both extremes — hyper-scheduling every hour and then going full freestyle. What I found works best for me is a hybrid: I block mornings for deep work and afternoons flexible for calls or unexpected stuff. That way I still get structure without feeling boxed in. Curious if others here also mix both approaches?
Leila's got her day locked down tighter than a vault, while John’s just vibing through it. Both crushing it. Guess it’s all about finding your rhythm
I’ve tried both extremes ... fully scheduled days down to the half hour, and totally unstructured “follow the flow” days. What I’ve landed on is more like guardrails than a rigid system. I block a few non-negotiable chunks each week for deep work, but outside of that, I leave room for opportunistic tasks, random ideas, and problem-solving that pops up in real time.
For me, over-scheduling killed momentum because I’d feel guilty if I didn’t stick to the exact plan. On the flip side, going 100% with the flow made it too easy to avoid hard, important tasks. Having a loose framework keeps me productive without feeling like I’m fighting my own calendar.
Indie hackers have different approaches—some like Leila Hormozi thrive on strict schedules to maximize productivity, while others like John Rush prefer a flexible, flow-based approach to stay creative and avoid burnout. The key is finding what aligns best with your workflow and goals.
I find this very useful because I find it hard sometimes to say no to some things.
I find this article very refreshing.
interesting
I've just posted something related to this for the first time here on Indie Hacker today.
TL;DR
We might think that we are tired and can't focus. But we are not lazy or distracted. We are working against our biological clock.
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Thank you so much for this article, it's the first article I have read fully in years. Congratulations on keeping my attention! :D
I find this article very refreshing - personally I prefer writing down the tasks and crossing them of the list one by one over a super detailed schedule. I go with my energy levels and try to get the most important tasks I can work on alone done in the early morning. In the evenings however I really try to sign off.
This article explores whether indie hackers thrive with a highly scheduled approach or a more intuitive, free-flowing one. It highlights how successful entrepreneurs like Leila Hormozi, Rob Dyrdek, and Elon Musk meticulously plan their days, while others like John Rush and Shaan Puri prefer to go with the flow. Both approaches work, depending on personal style and goals. The key takeaway? Know what matters most, structure your time accordingly, and experiment to find what suits you best. For more insights on productivity and success strategies, check out AtmosphereSwitch!
fascinating read
I am definitely on the maker’s schedule. Prior to having kids I was a night owl and would stay up late and write code. I understand that other people are different, but I can’t fathom how you would pre-schedule your whole day into 5 minute blocks. That seems… insane. Like, when are you gonna think if you are always responding or meeting with people? Personally, I value the negative space in between things. Going outside, taking long walks, getting lost in thought. I guess this is what makes us all beautiful is that we are unique in our own way.
Keep hacking yall
hi hi - I am actually in process of building a voice bot that manages alot of internal calls on your behalf / basically answers alot of progress update questions, and thi sis built entirely for people on the maker schedule. Would you be keen for a quick chat?
For Indie Hackers, balancing between structured scheduling and flexibility is crucial for productivity. Some entrepreneurs thrive on detailed planning, using tools like calendars and task managers to stay organized. Others prefer a go-with-the-flow approach, allowing creativity and adaptability. Experts like Leila Hormozi and John Rush emphasize finding a personalized system that aligns with energy levels and work style. A hybrid approach—scheduling essential tasks while leaving room for spontaneity—often works best. Success depends on self-awareness, prioritization, and maintaining a balance between discipline and creative freedom in daily routines.
Great breakdown of different styles!
Great breakdown of different productivity styles! I’ve tried both approaches—rigid scheduling keeps me accountable, but a flexible mindset helps me adapt quickly. Finding the balance is the real challenge! How do you personally structure your day, Michal?
The Indie Hackers discussion explores whether over-scheduling or going with the flow works best for entrepreneurs. Leila Hormozi, John Rush, and others share their experiences in balancing structured planning and flexibility. Some argue that strict schedules enhance productivity and consistency, while others find that adaptability fuels creativity and reduces burnout. The key is finding a system that aligns with personal work styles. A mix of planned goals and spontaneous adjustments often yields the best results. This discussion offers insights for Indie Hackers striving for efficiency and work-life balance.