Time Management Techniques

Top performers protect their time differently. Most of us lose precious hours to chaos and distraction. On the advice of my business coach, I did a time audit. What I learned changed everything. I tracked my hours for a week. Captured everything I spent time on. Now I’m working to eliminate, delegate, or automate everything that doesn’t move the needle. If you struggle to get the important things done, here are 12 productivity tools that actually work: 1. Timeboxing Divide your day into clear blocks. Give each block one purpose. Nothing else happens during that time. It's simple but powerful. 2. Pomodoro Technique 25 minutes of focus. 5-minute break. No compromise, no distractions. I was skeptical at first. Now I can't work without it. 3. Two-Minute Rule If something takes less than two minutes, do it now. Those small tasks pile up and drain your energy when ignored. 4. Kanban Board See your work move from "to-do" to "done." It's surprisingly motivating to watch progress happen visually. 5. 1-3-5 Rule Plan your day around: 1 big task 3 medium tasks 5 small tasks This creates balance and prevents overwhelm. 6. Eat the Frog Do your hardest task first thing. Everything else feels easier after that. 7. Flowtime Technique Work until your focus naturally fades. Take a short break. Learn your rhythm. 8. 80/20 Rule Focus on the vital 20% that creates 80% of your results. Be ruthless about cutting the rest. 9. Getting Things Done (GTD) Capture everything. Organize what matters. Let go of what doesn't. 10. Warren Buffett's 25/5 Rule List 25 goals. Circle your top 5. Ignore everything else. 11. Eisenhower Matrix Organize tasks by urgency and importance. It shows you what really needs your attention. 12. Task Batching Group similar work together. Your brain works better this way. The reality is simple: Time management isn't about squeezing more into your days. It's about making space for what matters most. Choose your minutes wisely. They become your life. ♻️ Find this helpful? Repost for your network. 📌 Follow Amy Gibson for practical leadership tips.

I've tried 100s of time management techniques.  This is by far my favourite: I used to work 80 hrs/week and call it "productive." When really I was: - Attending pointless meetings - Fighting countless small fires - Being involved in every decision Now I work less than 70% the time and get 4x as much done. The Eisenhower Matrix helped me get there.  It teaches you to categorise tasks by importance and urgency. Here's how it works: 1. Do It Now (Urgent + Important) Examples: - Finalise pitch deck before investor meeting tomorrow. - Fix website crash during peak customer traffic. - Respond to press interview request before deadline. Best Practices: - Attack these tasks first each morning with full focus. - Set a strict deadline so urgency fuels execution. 2. Schedule It (Important + Not Urgent) Examples: - Plan quarterly strategy session with leadership team. - Map long-term hiring plan for next 18 months. - Build a personal brand content system for LinkedIn. Best Practices: - Protect time blocks in advance. Never leave them floating. - Tie them to measurable outcomes, not vague intentions. 3. Delegate It (Urgent + Not Important) Examples: - Handle inbound customer service queries this week. - Organise travel logistics for upcoming conference. - Update CRM with latest sales call notes. Best Practices: - Build playbooks so your team executes without confusion. - Delegate with deadlines to avoid wasting time. 4. Eliminate It (Not Urgent + Not Important) Examples: - Tweak logo colour palette again for fun. - Attend generic networking events with no ICP fit. - Review endless “best productivity tools” articles. Best Practices: - Audit weekly. Cut anything that doesn’t compound long-term. - Replace low-value busywork with rest, thinking, or selling. If you are always reacting to what feels urgent,   You'll never focus on what matters. Attend to the tasks in quadrant 1 efficiently,  Then spend 60-70% of your time in quadrant 2.    That's work that actually builds your business. Which quadrant are you spending too much time in right now?  Drop your thoughts in the comments. My newsletter, Step By Step, breaks down more frameworks like this. It's designed to help you build smarter without burning out. 200k+ builders use it to develop better systems. Join them here:  https://lnkd.in/eUTCQTWb ♻️ Repost this to help other founders manage their time.  And follow Chris Donnelly for more on building and running businesses. 

Managing life as an AI professional at Microsoft, content creator, startup advisor, and everything in between can get overwhelming—but I’ve found a system that works (most days 😅). 1️⃣ Plan with Purpose: I’m ruthless about saying no to things that don’t align with my long-term goals. Even the smallest tasks have to serve a bigger purpose, or they don’t make the cut. Without that focus, it’s too easy to get busy but not productive. 2️⃣ Leverage AI Tools: I use AI to draft ideas, organize my calendar, and automate repetitive tasks. It’s like having an extra pair of hands to get things done. 3️⃣ Batching is Key: Whether it’s filming multiple reels in one go or setting aside specific blocks of time for content creation, grouping similar tasks saves me so much mental energy. 4️⃣ Create Space for Creativity: I dedicate evenings and weekends to brainstorming, planning collaborations, and mentoring startups. It’s about carving out time for what I love most. 5️⃣ Pause and Recharge: Taking a step back is non-negotiable. Working out, yoga, cooking are my ways of breaking my brain-drain cycle. The secret? It’s not about doing everything—it’s about doing what truly matters. Share this with your ambitions friends ❤️

Stop treating flexibility as a "perk" for entry-level roles. 🛑 My "Age 40" post went viral because the problem is real. CEOs are asking why they lose their best senior women just as they hit their peak. 📉 The answer? The "Missing Middle." When women reach leadership, traditional "all-in" hours clash with life. If you don't offer flexibility at the top, they don't stop being ambitious: they just leave for your competitors who offer balance. Senior-level flexibility isn’t just possible; it’s a retention strategy. 🚀 Here is how to practically implement it: ✅ Job Shares for Directors: Two senior brains are better than one. It ensures 100% coverage and double the perspective. ✅ Part-time Directors: High-impact leadership doesn’t need 40+ hours. Focus on outcomes, not desk time. ✅ 4-Day Weeks for Leads: Give your managers the space to lead and recharge without losing their seat at the table. Plus, it’s incredible role modelling for junior women. It shows them they don’t have to choose between a family and a career. 🌟 If you don’t flex at the top, you’ll keep losing your best talent. 💼 Because women shouldn't have to choose between ambition and real life. Agree? Let me know your thoughts in the comments 👇

I used to believe more hours = more productivity. I was wrong. I used to be a slave to my to-do list, constantly looking for “more hours”. But, as Sahil Bloom shows us so wonderfully in this excerpt from his new book, 'The 5 Types of Wealth'... You don’t need more hours. You need better balance. Because not all time is created equal. Here's an overview of the four types of professional time (courtesy of Sahil)  and how you can use this wisdom to better structure your days: 🔴 Management Time – Meetings, emails, coordination. 🟢 Creation Time – Deep work, building, producing. 🔵 Consumption Time – Learning, reading, listening. 🟡 Ideation Time – Thinking, brainstorming, strategizing. When you mismanage these, your days feel chaotic. When you balance them, your work (and life) flow. I’ve snapped a photo from Sahil’s book so you can visually see how these four categories can bring better balance to your week. The main point is to start being more intentional about how you use your time, and group similar activities together. Here's how I've applied some of these lessons in my own life  (and how you can too): ✅ Stop checking your email in the morning I used to start my day in my inbox. But you can't plan your days around other people’s priorities. Spend the first 90 minutes each day in deep work before even glancing at your email. ✅ Create “meeting-free” days Back-to-back meetings kill focus. Implement at least one no-meeting day each week, reserving that time instead for your biggest needle-movers. ✅ Batch small tasks together Multitasking is a massive productivity killer. Instead of endlessly switching between small tasks, I now stack my admin work into a defined 30-minute block. Less task switching + more focus = greater output. ✅ Schedule time to think Yes, there is such a thing as “time to think”! Set aside at least 30 minutes of screen-free time each day. Your best ideas often come when you're by yourself. ✅ “Audit” your time every week I used to pack my weeks blindly. Now, I review where I'm spending my time and adjust the split, depending on my priorities. If you see yourself spending too much time in one category, you may need to rebalance. Look at your week. What dominates your schedule? Are you making real progress or are you just keeping busy? And if you need a blueprint for mastering your time - as well as the social, mental, physical, and financial aspects of your life - then Sahil’s new book 'The 5 Types of Wealth' is an absolute must-read. Order it here and take charge of your life: https://lnkd.in/dnPpts2e ⏳ Remember, time is your most precious asset. Once spent, you can never earn it back. So take control and make it count.

I haven't read my emails since June 2022. That's when I hired my Executive Assistant Ann and completely changed how I operate. That single hire freed up 15+ hours weekly. Here's the system we use (so you can replicate it for yourself): Step 1: Master the twice-daily inbox protocol Goal: Inbox zero by 10 AM and 4 PM every day. - Sort every email into 4 buckets: "Action needed," "Review required," "Waiting on response," "Archive" - Handle 80% immediately with templates: "This is [Name], Dan's assistant. I got your email before he did and thought you'd appreciate a speedy reply..." - Flag only emails that need strategic thinking (usually 3-5 daily) - Archive everything else with proper labels (Receipts, Newsletters, Investment, etc.) Never let emails pile up. Process everything immediately. Step 2: Build the 10-minute daily sync agenda This eliminates random interruptions all day. - Yesterday's meeting action items and follow-ups - Today's calendar review with missing details filled in - Emails flagged that need my input (pre-sorted and prioritized) - Current projects requiring decisions (with 3 solution options each) - Tomorrow's priority planning Same agenda every single day. Takes exactly 10 minutes. Step 3: Create the perfect calendar system Every meeting gets color-coded and audited. - Red: Client work (never moved) - Yellow: Team meetings (flexible timing) - Blue: Protected time blocks (workouts, family, deep work) - Green: Travel and logistics Plus every invite requires: clear agenda, contact phone numbers, 20-minute default timing. Step 4: Create meeting preparation standards Walk into every conversation fully briefed. - Background research on all attendees - Previous conversation history and notes - Relevant documents organized and accessible - Clear agenda with desired outcomes defined - Contact information for backup communication Never get caught off guard again. The transformation: Email time: 2+ hours daily → 15 minutes daily Calendar chaos: Constant stress → Smooth operations Meeting prep: Scrambling → Always ready Those reclaimed hours became business strategy, family time, and actual growth work. Whether you implement these systems yourself or delegate them, the frameworks remain the same. Most entrepreneurs think they can't afford this level of support. The math is backwards: every hour you spend on $25/hour work costs you 20x in missed opportunities. Stop trying to get better at work you shouldn't be doing. Start investing in people who can do it better than you ever will. -DM P.S. Want my complete 23-page EA implementation playbook with every template, system, and process my EA uses daily? Message me "EA" and I'll send you the full guide that shows exactly how to set this up step-by-step. My gift to you 👊

I interviewed 50 CEOs about time management. None of them use to-do lists Because that’s not what actually works. We know the cost of time management that fails. ↳ You work long hours, yet your list keeps growing. ↳ You miss family time. Your health takes a backseat. ↳ And deep down, you still feel like you haven’t arrived. Top leaders do it differently. They don’t just manage time, they master it. Here are 15 time mastery habits they use that you can apply to stay ahead without staying late: 1. Pomodoro Technique ↳ Set a 25-minute timer and focus on just one task ↳ Take a 5-minute break after each round ↳ After 4 rounds, step away for 15–30 minutes to reset 2. Eisenhower Matrix ↳ Separate tasks into urgent vs. important ↳ Do what’s urgent and important right away ↳ Delegate, defer, or drop the rest 3. ABCDE Method ↳ Tag tasks A to E based on priority ↳ ‘A’ tasks drive your goals - do them first ↳ ‘D’ and ‘E’ tasks? Delegate or delete 4. 80/20 Pareto Method ↳ Identify the few tasks that create the biggest impact ↳ Focus 80% of your time on that top 20% ↳ Cut the rest without guilt 5. 3-3-3 Method ↳ Block 3 hours for your most focused work ↳ Complete 3 quick wins to build momentum ↳ Handle 3 small upkeep tasks to stay on track 6. 2-Minute Rule ↳ If something takes less than 2 minutes, do it now ↳ Bigger tasks? Schedule or delegate ↳ Keeps your mental and digital clutter low 7. Eat the Frog ↳ Do your hardest task first thing in the morning ↳ It sets the tone for a productive day 8. Getting Things Done (GTD) ↳ Get every task out of your head and onto paper ↳ Organize them by next actions ↳ Review regularly and take focused steps forward 9. Kanban Board ↳ Use three columns: To Do, Doing, Done ↳ Move tasks across as you make progress ↳ Visual clarity = less overwhelm 10. Task Batching ↳ Group similar tasks (like emails or calls) ↳ Do them in one focused block ↳ Saves energy by reducing context-switching 11. Warren Buffett 5/25 Rule ↳ List your top 25 goals or tasks ↳ Circle the 5 that matter most ↳ Say no to the other 20 until those 5 are done 12. Time Blocking ↳ Block specific time for important tasks ↳ Treat it like a non-negotiable meeting 13. 1-3-5 Method ↳ Plan 1 big, 3 medium, and 5 small tasks for the day ↳ Keeps your workload realistic and motivating 14. MSCW Method ↳ Sort tasks into: Must, Should, Could, Won’t ↳ Prioritize the Musts during peak focus time ↳ Everything else can wait or be delegated 15. Pickle Jar Method ↳ Start with the big, meaningful tasks first ↳ Fit in smaller ones around them ↳ Make space for what truly matters You don't need all 15. You need the 2-3 that resonate with your biggest struggles. Which one speaks to you? Drop the number in the comments, I'd love to know. ♻ Repost to help your network trade burnout for focus. ➕ Follow me (Meera Remani) for tools that fuel your growth. Image courtesy and post inspiration: Justin Mecham.

Stop confusing “urgent” with “important.” I have been a lawyer for 16 years. Here is one thing I have learned that applies to law and to life. Some things feel urgent because someone is yelling about them. Some things are urgent because the clock is ticking. And some things are neither, but get treated like both. The truly important things, the ones that move cases forward, protect clients, or change the trajectory of your business, rarely scream for your attention. They sit quietly on your to-do list while you are putting out “fires” that do not matter. Here is how I try to handle it: If something is due December 1, I aim to have it done by November 1. If the deadline is 21 days away, I try to finish in 10. I stay 2 to 3 weeks ahead and try to do that 100 percent of the time. Life gets less stressful, cases run smoother, and the workflow is easier when you work ahead. The only way to protect your time and your schedule is to focus on what truly matters instead of getting distracted by fake problems. It also means doing the crappy things first. Every day when I get to work, I knock out the stuff I do not want to do first. The hard phone calls, the difficult pleadings, the complex discovery. Sometimes I do not even open my email until later. People think being “responsive” means answering everything the second it hits your inbox. That is not responsiveness, that is reactivity. You do not win trials, run a business, or live a good life by reacting to noise. You win by protecting your focus for the things that matter. Everyone thinks their problem is the most important problem in the world. In reality, the most important thing in your professional and personal life is your time and your sanity. Protect them like your life depends on it.

As a junior lawyer, I used to look at my calendar as an empty canvas for other people to shove meetings into./ Then I learned from experienced lawyers that I should block out time from my own calendar so it actually works as a proactive scheduling tool - not an overwhelming mess./ I've learned that it's okay to block out time for: 🔹 chunks of deep work (e.g. research memos and contract reviews) 🔹 regular 'non-work' tasks to progress your career (e.g. BD initiatives and learning legaltech) 🔹 time outs from non-stop virtual meetings 🔹 smashing out work admin tasks (e.g. entering your time) 🔹 'me' time (e.g. exercise and proper lunch) It doesn't mean your calendar won't get shaken up because of urgent work / calls, or new priorities. But it's a way to limit how often you're scrambling to meet other peoples' availability (and trying to fit your work in the empty spaces). If you're worried about how to deal with clashes between your blocked out time and new appointments, try: "Hi Jane, sorry I've got something in my calendar for that time. I can move my thing around if yours is urgent - otherwise I'm free at 3pm if that works for you?" Is this something you do? If not, what's your process? --------------------- Btw, if you're a junior lawyer looking for practical career advice - check out the free how-to guides on my website. You can also stay updated by sending a connection / follow. #lawyers #legalprofession #lawfirms #careertips

If you don’t control your time, someone else will. 7 time management frameworks to own your time: 1) Measuring my time At the age of 14, I started preparing for engineering exams, only to realise I just could not manage my time. So I recorded every hour of my day; I did this for 13 years. Just this act of measurement led to the act of improvement. Do it for 10 days and you will see the difference. 2) Time blocking I realised context switching was taking a toll. I started blocking 2-3 hours and have been doing so till date. Monday AM: X Monday PM: Y Tuesday all day: Z 3) Win the week, not the day Think of your week as your time unit, not your day. Think of what you wish to achieve in a week. And split your week to achieve that. 4) Single source of action We are constantly being fed a to-do list. From multiple sources. What helps me is to have a single source of action - my emails. It can be a to-do app for you, a notebook, or post-its - anything except your memory. 5) Create repeatable tasks I am a student of processes. So my endeavour is - find something I need to do in life, and find a way to convert it into a recurring task which I can add to my calendar. It builds a habit, routine, and discipline for your mind. 6) Setup distraction time Our mind craves distraction because we make it a forbidden fruit. Do the opposite. Set up time to waste time. 7) Zoom out We struggle to manage time, because we look at it in a micro way. Go back to the macro. What do you want to achieve this month, quarter, or year? What are the big milestones that will get you there (or tell you that you are on the path)? Did that happen this week? If yes - great. If not - go back to step 1 and figure out what went wrong. Repeat every week.