You're Not Out of Time — You're Out of Focus. Here's How to Fix It.
Traditional time management hacks won't cut it for leaders. These three strategies will help you focus on what truly matters.
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Key Takeaways
- Routine calendar audits and shedding non-essential meetings can free up significant time for strategic tasks.
- Delegating tasks outside your skillset can optimize your time and allow you to concentrate on high-value work.
If you’re like many leaders, you probably wish there was a 25th hour in the day, or even an eighth day in the week, to complete everything on your plate. As an executive, it can often feel like there’s never enough time and you’re constantly trying to catch up.
Leaders frequently ask me how they can be more efficient. This makes sense, as many of my tech executive clients are obsessed with optimizing their companies. However, there comes a point when you’ve squeezed every drop of efficiency out of your day, and the next step isn’t to do more. Instead, you must learn how to better prioritize.
While none of my tech clients have learned how to bend time like Hermione in Harry Potter, you can conjure an extra hour or two by mastering the art of prioritization. Traditional time management strategies often fall short for leaders because their days are rarely predictable, meetings dominate their schedules, and everything feels “urgent.” Let’s explore three strategies for focusing your time and energy so you can make the biggest impact possible.
Related: 15 Time Management Tips for Achieving Your Goals
Get crystal clear on your priorities
Prioritization starts with knowing your priorities. What are you working toward, and how will you measure success? If your goals are fuzzy, even the best time management tactics will fail.
Clarity doesn’t need to be complex. One of my clients, a CEO, defined three business goals for the next year: increase the number of app users, reduce operating costs and drive bottom-line growth. These three priorities guided every decision he made.
After he gained buy-in on his vision from the board, he aligned his time and effort with these goals, pausing all initiatives that didn’t fit. For example, he was incredibly social and frequently invited to participate in podcasts, conferences and networking events, yet these clear priorities allowed him to confidently say no to anything that didn’t move the needle.
Importantly, he shared these priorities during a town hall and empowered his leaders and employees to challenge anything that wasn’t aligned with these three goals. If managers pushed projects outside the priorities, employees were encouraged to escalate directly to him. He not only prioritized his own time but also created a .