I think because I work in a start-up that time management is a little different than most traditional jobs. After the first two weeks, my supervisor initially had trouble figuring out what tasks I could do, and what I was suited for. It took about halfway through Week 1, to be able to give me a concrete plan for what my job is.

Because it’s a smaller company, everyone is juggling a ton of responsibilities in a short amount of time. Yet, my specific deadlines sometimes feel pretty spaced out.

The Rhythm of the App Design Process

Right now, I’m working on designing a karaoke language-learning app called KPOP Pro.

My task cycle usually starts with a meeting where the team explains the model behind the app and website, maps out what they need, and gives me a few days to execute it. Because we work long hours in the office, I tend to lock in and finish my design tasks pretty quickly after they’re assigned.

That efficiency leaves me with some downtime. With long office hours, I find myself balancing work with other productive tasks throughout the day. Because I finish early, it can take a while for the team to regroup and review my files. Sometimes they forget, but the moment they do look at it, everything moves fast: we collaborate that same day, discuss the progress, and I immediately pivot to a new task.

Currently, I’m wrapping up the initial run for the app and the website homepage. Even though the app is already live, they’ve given me the creative freedom to add new features and put my own twist on the user experience.

Navigating the Startup Silo & Communication Hurdles

Prioritizing tasks isn’t really the hard part for me: assignments are concrete, and the long hours give you no choice but to execute efficiently. The real challenge of startup time management for me is navigating ambiguity and communication.

At a startup, you often work in a silo. Most of the time, I don’t actually know what my coworkers are working on unless they are sitting right next to me. That independence is cool, but it can occasionally lead to miscommunication.

Just recently, my supervisor asked me to design the “home/hero page.” In my head, I immediately thought homepage of the app, because well that’s the core product. When I showed him the designs, he clarified that he actually meant the homepage of the marketing website.

The Pivot: Instead of stressing, I immediately drafted a website concept that same day and showed him. Even though more time would have allowed for a more polished look, it kept the momentum moving forward.

Turning Mistakes into Milestones

The funniest part about that communication error? It actually set me up for success later.

This past weekend, the team decided they wanted me to work on more features for both the website and the app. Because of my initial mix-up, I already had the app designs ready to go. A mistake from a few days prior turned into a massive head start.

My Big Takeaways This Week

• Over-communicate early: In a fast-moving environment, double-checking definitions (“app homepage” vs. “website homepage”) saves time.
• Stay adaptable: When requirements shift, pivot and move fast. Your “accidental” work might just be the next big priority.
• Manage your own pace: When you finish tasks early, use that downtime productively to think ahead, because at a startup, the next wave of work is always just around the corner.

The Second Shift: Living Outside the Clock

But then the clock hits the end of the workday, and a whole new version of time management emerges.

After sitting in front of Figma screens for eight or nine hours, the logical, responsible move would be to go back to our rooms, crash, watch some videos, and rest up for the next morning. Honestly, some days we are completely drained. But there’s this unspoken rule among us out here: you don’t waste a single night.

Navigating life outside the internship is a masterclass in managing energy. We will all be exhausted, standing outside the office building, saying we’re just going to go home and sleep. Cue an hour later, and we are completely getting into something. We’re out exploring the nightlife, wandering through neon-lit streets, finding ourselves in random parts of Seoul, or taking long, mind-clearing walks by the river to feel the breeze and decompress.

It’s an interesting paradox. In the office, time can feel spaced out, structured, hyper-focused. Outside of the office, time is incredibly fast. There is always something to do, a new alley to turn down, or a convenience store to hit up at 2:00 AM for a post-night snack.

A walk in Yeouido, right near where I work at.

The Ultimate Takeaway

What I’ve realized this week and so far in Seoul is that prioritizing your life is just as important as prioritizing your tasks. If I didn’t manage my time efficiently in the office, I’d be taking work home, messing up my nights, and missing out on the experience of being in a completely new environment.

Turning a design mistake into a win gave me a head start on my projects this week. That saved time is more time for me to explore the city after dark.