Why Chandrika Deb of Canva time-blocks for productivity
The decision to join Canva during its early days in India wasn't straightforward. But Deb saw a golden opportunity to build and grow a powerful product in what is today one of their most important markets in the world. India is today their fourth-largest market, with 666 million designs last year driven by Canva's AI-powered tools to create hyperlocal content.
In an interview with Mint, Deb talks about mentorship and why she uses AI in her daily life. Edited excerpts:
Who do you consider your mentor?
I've had the privilege of working with some inspiring women and firebrands. They have encouraged me to embrace my curiosity, challenge the status quo and take bold steps that have shaped my personal and professional journey.
One major insight you worked on with your mentor's guidance?
Never let anyone make you question your personal career motivations. If you believe your decision will benefit you, follow your gut and stand by it.
What does being a mentor mean to you? How do you mentor your colleagues at work?
As a coach, I believe my role is to mentor my colleagues and team to find personal and professional fulfilment by doing their best work. This means providing all the resources and flexibility they need to constantly learn and evolve, while guiding them on larger goals that they're able to drive at the workplace and which help them in their career advancement.
What's your morning schedule like?
Mornings are very busy with lots of meetings and coffee. One thing I like to do before I start my workday is to reflect on everything I need to get done in the day and block time for each task. I've found this very productive, allowing me to efficiently manage my time and ensure balance between work and personal goals.
What are some productivity principles you follow?
Time blocking has been a great productivity hack, helping me plan to get through my day in an efficient manner. I've also become an active adopter of AI tools to help me with both professional and personal work. It has helped streamline my thoughts and saved time on tasks that would otherwise take much longer.
Monday Motivation is a series in which business leaders discuss their mentors and their work ethics.
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By making such statements, Trump is not merely playing geopolitical games—he is striking at the heart of India's national security sensitivities and damaging a relationship that both countries have spent decades nurturing into a consequential partnership for the 21st century. Trump has consistently hyphenated India–Pakistan relations, weakening India's position on cross-border terrorism by boosting Pakistan's strategic confidence through repeated endorsements and by portraying both countries as equals. These actions have granted Pakistan undue strategic legitimacy, disregarding decades of US policy that sought to engage India as an independent and trusted strategic partner. His claim—repeated over 29 times—that he personally brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan has been unequivocally denied by top Indian officials, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. By drawing false parallels and exaggerating his role, Trump has jeopardised India's core interests and eroded the trust carefully built by successive US administrations. A Diplomatic Liability Recently, India's Parliament witnessed a heated debate in which opposition leaders urged Prime Minister Modi to directly refute Donald Trump's repeated claims that he brokered the recent India–Pakistan ceasefire. But such directness is unlikely to yield results. Trump is not a leader who responds to logic or diplomacy. His erratic, impulsive, and reactive personality makes engagement unpredictable. Even if the Indian prime minister corrects him publicly, Trump may repeat the same claim in the evening—and again the next day. The problem lies in Washington, not New Delhi. This isn't a unique pattern. Trump turned against Elon Musk—a long-time supporter—after a minor disagreement, telling him to 'go back to South Africa' and threatening to revoke federal subsidies supporting Tesla and SpaceX. 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