You Can't Manufacture More Time, But You Can Use it More Wisely

Steal my 7 hacks that gave me more time to focus on what really mattered.

Photo by Malvestida on Unsplash

I used to think I could do everything.

Not because I was the most efficient or fastest worker.
But because I was the hardest and most persistent worker.

If there were marathons for work, I’d win. Sadly, there aren’t.

Even when I had my first child was born, my son, I managed to keep ridiculous work hours.

• 11pm feeding? Perfect time to edit the Board deck.

• 2am feeding? Excellent time to rework my calendar.

I had never been stopped from working. A child wasn’t going to stop me now.

Then #2 came. Everything changed.

My firstborn stopped sleeping well. My second had her own opinions she made known loudly and regularly. I wanted to be present for it all, and I was more driven than ever to grow in my career.

I asked my boss for his tips, read e-books, and talked with other leaders, “How do you manage to squeeze it all in?”

The resounding answer was, “You don’t.”

My inner two-year-old had a major tantrum, “No!!! What do you mean I can’t have it all?!?!”

I did what any leader in denial does: I resisted.
But after a few months trying to do it all, failing, and sleep-deprived, it was time to face reality and try a different way.

How to Use Your Time More Wisely

After testing multiple approaches over multiple years, below are some of the most effective ways I’ve found to use my time well.

These didn’t just work for me; they have stood the test of time. Every time I think I don’t need to follow one of them, I pay for it. And the converse is true. Every time I go back to these actions, I find I’m more productive, more energized, and more happy.

1. Reality Check: Calendar everything 🗓️

Put everything into your calendar. Not just your work meetings, but add in your commute, your grocery shopping, your kid pick ups. EVERYTHING.

When everything is scheduled, you can’t ignore the reality of your commitments and desires. It’s easier to visualize what your day will feel like when you see them laid out.

I used a Google spreadsheet to put together my calendar. If you want to snag my template, click here.

2. Prioritize What Matters First ✏️

Now go through your calendar and color-code what matters most. Check if you’ve allocated enough time to those items. If not, add more time.

This includes work, life, health, everything that is essential. Don’t forget basics like sleep. It sounds silly until you notice how your brain starts to slow down in your 40s because you didn’t invest in your sleep.

Don’t worry about other less important items getting squeezed. When you see something getting squeezed, make a note.

Once all the most important items are in, now you’ll have to make decisions about the rest. Those actions are what come next.

3. Outsource & Delegate More Than You Think 🤝

Now that you know what matters most, be strategic about what you have to do and what you can delegate or outsource. This is true in your work and in your personal life.

Sometimes, it’s because you really hate doing the task. Sometimes, it’s because someone else is much better at the job. Both are good reasons to get it off your plate. If you can afford to hand it off, do so. You’ll free up not just time, but headspace.

An example:

• I love to eat, and I want to eat healthy, but I hate food prep.

• Once I realized I could find pre-made, high-quality meals at a reasonable price, I found my solution.

• Instead of missing lunch or eating an unhealthy option, I was nourished and energized throughout the day. I was also less stressed.

There are solutions for everything from travel planning to house cleaning.

At work, you can redesign jobs, hire new roles, and restructure teams. Just stay focused on putting the best person on the job.

It’s OK if that isn’t you.

4. Adjust the Frequency ⏱

Not everything needs to be daily or weekly to make a difference. Sometimes having some space in between helps you integrate ideas and make more progress before you return to the item or activity.

If the activity involves another person, they might appreciate a less frequent option as well.

Some examples:

• If you can’t meditate every day, start with 2-3 times a week.

• If you can’t squeeze in weekly team meetings, then start with every other week.

• If you can’t meet with every board member once a quarter, try for once every 6 months.

Keep the ideal in mind, but don’t let perfection be the enemy of good enough and getting started.

Be flexible and creative. If the activity makes a difference, don’t give up on it. Just change the frequency.

5. Lower the Bar—Intentionally 📏

Find a way to fit in what I call Tier 2 priorities: not necessarily must-have in the short-term, but they matter in the long-term.

Instead of setting them aside, lower your standards for what it means to get them done.

An example: returning to workouts

• When I finally found time in my schedule post-pandemic to workout, I was ashamed at how out of shape I was. I was intimidated, and my inner judge questioned, “I’m not sure I can do this.”

• Instead of letting my fears guide me, I lowered the bar and committed to 10-minute beginner-only workouts 2-3 times per week to start.

• By shortening the time, I was making it less daunting. By starting at a beginner level, I would be more likely to feel successful. By reducing the frequency, I could more easily fit it into my schedule.

Lower the bar and don’t give yourself an excuse not to move forward.
Your future self will thank you.

6. Quarantine Your Phone ❌

The research continues to build on how damaging our phones are to our ability to focus, our mental health, and our cognition.

Very simply: if you want to get things done, remove your phone.

If you have to have it nearby, learn how to use the Do Not Disturb function and limit the number of apps you use.

The fewer distractions you allow into your work and life, the more present and effective you can be.

Bonus: Do this well, and you’ll not only help yourself, but you’ll be modeling for your team and your family and friends what it means to be focused and attentive.

7. Contain Your Black Holes ⚫️

Black hole activities are those things that you lose yourself in, but afterwards you don’t have much to show for it: TV, Youtube, social media, video games.

As a child of the 80s, I’ve spent an embarrassing amount of time in front of the original tube. But in 2015, when my 2nd child arrived, I had to cut out TV. There just wasn’t time. Outside of the occasional movie, I didn’t watch a single show until last year, 2024.

10 years without TV = 10,000 hours!
I did it. You can, too.

But even if you can’t give up TV, Youtube, or whatever is your time black hole, you should contain it.

Once you’ve mapped out what’s most important on your calendar, you might notice there isn’t much time left. That’s normal. Now you can squeeze small snippets of time for your black hole activities.

To make sure you stay within your time limits, do the following:

• Don’t do black hole activities when you’re super tired and have low self-control.

• Set a timer every time you do them.

• Have an accountability partner — tell them to remove you from the device or unplug it when you are not following the schedule.

Black holes are immensely powerful — so are black hole activities. Don’t underestimate their ability to draw you in. Make a plan to proceed with caution or risk undoing all the great work you’ve invested above.

Your Turn

Let me know if you try the strategies above. I love getting feedback — the good, the bad, and the ugly.

If you’ve conquered some or all of the “I don’t have enough time” drama in your life, please do share more in the Comments. I’m always looking to learn more about how to use my time more wisely.

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May you lead without limits,