How to Manage Time as a Busy Executive

Stop managing time. Start mastering energy. After coaching over 200+ executives, I've learned that the high-performers prioritize their energy not their time. Here's what they've shared with me (save this): 1/ Decision Energy Optimization ↳ Map your peak alertness hours (track for 5 days) ↳ Schedule critical decisions before 2pm ↳ Create a "power hour" buffer before board meetings 2/ Strategic Recovery Design ↳ Implement the Navy SEAL 4x4 breath work (4 seconds in, 4 out) ↳ Book 20-min gaps between high-stakes meetings ↳ Use "walking meetings" for 1:1s (movement = energy) 3/ Cognitive Load Management ↳ Batch similar tasks in 90-min blocks ↳ Use "two-minute previews" before switching contexts ↳ Clear mental tabs with a daily brain dump (5 mins, end of day) 4/ Energy-First Calendar Defense ↳ Rate meetings from 1-3 (energy give vs. take) ↳ Front-load relationship building before 11am ↳ Create "untouchable Thursdays" for deep work 5/ High-Impact Recovery Protocols ↳ Master the 3-2-1 reset (3 deep breaths, 2 stretches, 1 intention) ↳ Schedule "micro-breaks" (7-12 mins) after lunch ↳ Use "energy gates" (10-min buffers) between major transitions 6/ Presence Activation Tactics ↳ Activate the 2-minute centering ritual before important meetings ↳ Use "power phrases" in private before presentations ↳ Practice selective unavailability (block "focus hours" daily) 7/ Environmental Energy Design ↳ Make their desk an "energy zone" ↳ Create a "recharge corner" in your office ↳ Mute the chaos (noise canceling earbuds) 8/ Relationship Energy Management ↳ Identify your top 5 energy amplifiers (schedule them weekly) ↳ List your energy vampires (limit exposure to 30 min) ↳ Build your "energy board of directors" (5 people who elevate you) 9/ Peak State Activation ↳ Create your "power playlist" (60-90 motivation seconds) ↳ Design your "pre-game ritual" (specific sequence before big events) ↳ Use "anchor phrases" for instant state transformation 10/ Sustainable Excellence Framework ↳ Track energy levels hourly for one week (use 1-10 scale) ↳ Implement "recovery days" after high-intensity weeks ↳ Create your "minimum viable recovery" protocol (3 non-negotiables) Reality check: Your energy capacity is your competitive advantage. Not your ability to outlast everyone else. Which tactic will you implement in the next 24 hours? ♻️ Share to help a leader thrive 🔖 Save this guide for your next energy audit 🎯 Follow me (Loren) for more high-performance tactics

Time Management Insights for Improving Productivity ⏰💡 I have been mentoring several people around the topic of time management. These are some pointers to help you master your time, boost productivity, and achieve more with less stress. 📈 1. Self-Assessment: Track and Analyze Your Time 📊 Track Your Time: For the next two weeks , keep a detailed log of how you spend each hour. There are tools like Toggl or RescueTime to help simplify this process.  I will put link to their sites in the comments. John Jensen also has a spreadsheet he utilizes that is a great framework for sales people. Categorize Activities: Once your log is complete, sort activities into categories such as planning, deal management, prospecting, admin tasks, internal and external meetings, and personal time.  Do you also understand what your high-impact activities are? Evaluate: Reflect on your log. Are you dedicating enough time to high-impact activities? Are personal activities getting the time they deserve? 2. Identify Areas for Improvement 🔍 High-Value vs. Low-Value Tasks: Pinpoint tasks that drive your goals forward. Delegate or eliminate low-value tasks. High-value tasks are often those that only you can do. Time Wasters: Identify activities that consume time without adding value, such as redundant meetings or excessive email checks. 3. Set Clear Priorities 🎯 Define Your Key Responsibilities: Clarify your role and responsibilities. Focus on activities that align with these and have the most significant impact. Goal Setting: Set clear, measurable goals. This will sharpen your focus and help you prioritize and delegate tasks effectively. 4. Improve Delegation 🤝 Identify Delegation Opportunities: Based on your time log and priorities, find tasks that can be handed off, freeing you to focus on high-level strategy. 5. Continuous Improvement 📈 Regular Check-Ins: Schedule regular check-ins to review your progress, discuss challenges, and adjust strategies as needed. This keeps you accountable and allows for timely adjustments. Personal Insights from My Experience 🌟 When I first started tracking my time, I was amazed at how much of it was spent on low-value tasks. By categorizing and analyzing my activities, I identified key areas for improvement and began delegating tasks that were consuming my time without significant returns. Setting clear priorities and goals was a game-changer, allowing me to focus on high-impact activities and achieve better results. Implementing these steps transformed my productivity, and I'm confident it can do the same for you! 🚀 #TimeManagement #Productivity

Sometimes I look back at my time in the Air Force and wonder how I got everything done . . . how did I get kids to soccer, stay credible in the airplane, do laundry and grocery shopping, and focus on my role as a commander and leader. The reality is that there were often times where I felt overwhelmed by multiple competing priorities . . . there just didn’t seem to be enough time in the day to get it all done. The only way I could keep my head above water was to get serious and deliberate about prioritizing. I didn’t always get this right, but here are a few ideas that can help with prioritizing tasks and making the most of your time: 1️⃣ Identify Your Goals/Priorities: Clearly define your objectives to focus on tasks that align with your priorities. 2️⃣ Prioritize Tasks: Conduct a thorough analysis of your daily tasks. Determine which tasks are urgent and important, and focus on completing those first. {I didn’t know about the Eisenhower Matrix then, but I find it highly effective now for prioritizing tasks.)   3️⃣ Delegate Responsibilities: Trust others to handle tasks not directly related to your core responsibilities, freeing up time for priorities. 4️⃣ Set Realistic Deadlines: Break down larger tasks into smaller steps with achievable deadlines to maintain steady progress. Micro/quick wins are also good for motivation. (I personally enjoy crossing items off of my to-do list.) 5️⃣ Learn to Say No: Be selective about new commitments to avoid overloading your schedule (sometimes easier said than done, and it’s helpful to have an accountability partner on this). 6️⃣ Block your Schedule: Consider setting aside specific blocks in your schedule for strategic thinking. Creating this space ensures that you are actively working toward your goals and objectives and not just getting bogged down in the weeds. 7️⃣ Review and Adjust: Regularly reassess your schedule and priorities to ensure they align with your goals, adjusting as needed. (I use a high tech sticky note and review/re-write at the end of each day). Whether you're a business professional, military member, entrepreneur, or student, effective time management is key to maintaining productivity and reducing stress. #Prioritization #ProfessionalDevelopment #PersonalDevelopment

Ever feel like you’re drowning in to-dos and endless meetings?  5 years ago, I was in a middle management role, frustrated by the lack of progress and constantly treading water. ⚠️ Another calendar invite.  ⚠️ Another email to address.  ⚠️ Another Slack message to read. 🗣️“Where did we put that document from last week?”  🗣️“Can you pull a report for me?”  🗣️“What's going on with Customer ABC?”  🗣️“How soon do you think xyz project will be done?” It felt like everyone needed something yesterday. I was overwhelmed, defeated, and felt like I’d never keep up. I wasn’t in control of my time, and I blamed everyone else instead of taking responsibility. If you’ve ever felt like this, here are 3 practical ways you can take back control: 1️⃣ 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 Sometimes, this means cataloging everything you’ve been asked to do and then asking your manager/leadership to help prioritize the work. This can help your manager see all of your work and encourage a conversation about what's really important. Try as you may, you can't do it all. 2️⃣ 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 Use your calendar to track how you spend your time. Reflect on whether you’re moving the right things forward.  It’s like tracking your spending—it forces you to be honest about where your time is going. This also makes it easier to have an honest conversation with your manager about all those “pop-up” tasks that seem to hijack your day. 3️⃣ 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 Need focused time? Block it off on your calendar and hold yourself accountable. If you realize you’re underestimating how long things take, adjust and get clear on what “good enough” looks like. This may mean:  • Turning off Slack notifications (or closing it entirely)  • Scheduling specific times to check email, instead of constantly checking  • Being selective about accepting calendar invites—ask, “Is this meeting more important than xyz project?” 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 boundaries can be the hardest part. Taking control of my time transformed how I worked. If you’re feeling stuck, I hope these tips help you find clarity and regain focus. #Leadership #TimeManagement #WorkLifeBalance #CareerGrowth 

Let Go of Busy This was one of my a-ha moments many years ago. I was like a lot of other relatively new chief legal officers, running on habits that were nurtured in law school and only grew exponentially through practice.  I managed the way I was managed. I was busy. Deadlines, emails, schedules, checklists, new stuff, work piling up, to-do lists. I didn’t know that lawyers had other ways to operate – until the team broke. It took some painful lessons, but I came to understand that one of my primary jobs was to absorb my team’s stress, not cause it. Consider this. From now through the end of your career, the workload will continue to increase, the projects will become more complicated, and your decisions will impact more and more people. If you convey a sense of panic or inability to prioritize, you won’t be effective. You won't move forward.    I knew I had to let go of busy. I started small. I “gamified” the change, and made some investments. Here are some games you might play. 1. Create an “IGNORE” list.  Decide what work is not important enough to spend heartbeats on. DO NOT do this work. When you find yourself doing anything on that list, stop immediately.  Play hooky for fifteen minutes and go for a walk. 2. Run to value.  Don’t let your calendar rule the day.  You decide what's calendar-worthy and use that information to rule the calendar. Spend five minutes at the end of the day scheduling value blocks.   3. Give yourself an investment hours allowance.  Decide what activities are heartbeat positive. Examples include walks, gym-time, family dinners, date nights, the Sunday crossword puzzle. For me, it also included classes at University of California, speaker training, coaching, cycling, and board work. If you do something on your IGNORE list instead of giving yourself your investment allowance, you need to roll those missed hours over into the next week -- in addition to that week's regular allowance.   4.  Do not brag about how busy you are, and stop joking about work-life imbalance.  The next time you start to play the "i'm-so-busy" game, stop yourself and instead share something cool that you did during last week's investment hours.   Don’t be busy; be focused. Let me know how it goes! ==================== 🦋  I'm Delida, and I help great lawyers become powerful executives leading their departments to become indispensable assets in the C-suite and boardroom.  Whether you’re a team of one or 400, in-house or Big Law, reach out to schedule a meeting.

How Do You Manage Your Time? If you’re exhausted most days, wondering how you'll juggle your next day, it’s time to discover simpler ways. Long workdays, Never-ending to-do lists, Back-to-back meetings, Frustrating interactions, Impossible deadlines, Managing conflict, Blurry lines between work and life, Too much on your plate, Being pulled in too many directions at once. If you’re overwhelmed and this sounds familiar, STOP managing your time right now! I have ONE tip for you, to improve your days! #1 Tip: Manage your energy. I recently had lunch with a friend. We talked about being busy, and the hallmark challenges in today’s "instant access" world. We both shared how our schedules were packed to the brim with meetings, projects, and tasks. My friend mentioned feeling drained every day, despite trying various time management techniques like time-blocking and prioritizing tasks. She even joked about cloning herself just to keep up. Whether you have your own business, manage someone else’s, or are an independent contributor, you know these challenges all too well. This conversation made me realize effective productivity isn't about managing time—it's about managing energy. Shift from time management to energy management by reverse engineering your pain points! Here's how... 👉 Energy vs. Time: Focus more on how tasks impact your energy rather than how much time they take. Energizing tasks can boost your readiness for what comes next, while draining tasks might require recovery time. 👉Intentionality is Key: Instead of striving to cross off items on a to-do list, be intentional about what you add to it. Choose tasks that contribute positively to your energy levels. 👉Understand Emotional Traps: Recognize emotions like frustration can be addictive and draining. Identifying and addressing these emotions early on can prevent energy depletion. 👉Identify Energy-Creating Activities: Be aware of which activities drain you and which ones rejuvenate you. Opt for those that leave you feeling refreshed and empowered. 👉Make Strategic Choices: Each decision about what you take on should consider the impact on your energy. Prioritize tasks that enhance or maintain your energy levels. 👉Practice 'Presencing': When negative emotions arise, actively notice, acknowledge, and breathe through them. This mindfulness can help transform these emotions into a source of energy, rather than a drain. Managing your energy wisely can work for you too! Enhance your productivity and your overall well-being. Focus on what amplifies your energy and make choices that align with sustaining it. This approach can redefine what it means to be truly productive and fulfilled. Are you going to wait until you collapse from burnout, or will you adapt your approach today for a healthier work/life balance? What are your experiences with managing time and energy? Share below 👇 Like creative solutions to day to day problems? 💠Book a discovery call today!

My biggest leadership struggle so far in 2024 is balancing my focus on business strategy, people management, and home life. I'm a family woman, a C-suite executive, a business owner, and a doctoral program student. I have a natural desire to set big goals and quickly achieve them without the headache. This is the primary focus of my executive leadership, career, and business coaching firm, Evolve Career (ECCC Network). As we approach the mid-year mark, I am trying to scale my profitable business, grow my team’s capabilities, be more present for my family, and complete my doctorate degree without feeling overwhelmed. I’ve been experimenting with these ideas in 2024: 1. Weekly Win & Reflection Time: Every Friday, I shut down my brain over oysters and champagne to celebrate my 3 biggest wins, reflect on challenges that need to be solved, and set 3 big priorities for the next week. 2. Spend more time in nature: I dedicate 4 days a week to go on nature walks and get some sun for at least 15 minutes a day. 3. Read More & Practice Gratitude: I read motivating literature that helps ground me in a higher power and I state positive affirmations that help me find the good in any situation. 4. Delegate & Outsource: I ask for or hire help with household cleaning, grocery shopping, and work tasks that don’t allow me to work in my genius zone. 5. Say No Faster: I give myself permission to say no to anything that doesn’t support my goals or align to my values. 6. TimeBlocking: I look at my calendar before the new month begins to carve out dedicated time for date nights, 1:1 daughter time, self-care, extended family zoom calls, and volunteer time. Of course, this is spoken as a student not a master. Any C-suite leaders or senior executives navigating similar challenges? What strategies, tactics, and tools are you using to help you find balance between home and work life and practice regular self-care? #worklife #entrepreneurship #executivecoaching #leadershipdevelopment #careeradvice #workplacewellness ____________________________ Hi, I'm Jessica, an Executive Career & LeadershipCoach, Fractional CHRO, Inclusion Expert, Speaker, and Facilitator. I help top talent land executive promotions and companies build inclusive leadership teams with high-caliber, overlooked talent to increase engagement, productivity, revenue, & retention in their workplace. DM me if YOU want help growing stellar leaders to reach business goals, manage rapid change, and avoid employee burnout.

As a CEO, my time is constantly getting pulled in different directions. Here are a few tips that’ve changed my approach to time management: 1)Energy First, Time Second: Before you plan your day, assess your energy. Tackle high-energy tasks when you're at your peak and save low-energy tasks for when you're winding down. 2)Warrior by Day, Mystic by Night: Adopt the mindset of being a warrior during work hours, fully focused and engaged. After sundown, transition to your mystic self – recharge, reflect, and connect spiritually. 3)Boundaries Are Non-Negotiable: Set clear boundaries around work and personal time. Negotiate these terms upfront, whether with clients, team members, or yourself. 4)Systems and Processes: Create systems that manage your business and life. This structure will free you to focus on growth and innovation while maintaining balance. 5)The Two-Minute Rule: If a task takes less than two minutes, do it immediately. This principle keeps small tasks from piling up and overwhelming you. 6)Room for Surprises: Leave gaps in your schedule for the unexpected. Flexibility allows for creativity and opportunities that rigid schedules miss. Remember, time management is not about controlling every minute; It's about creating a rhythm that serves your life's mission. I hope this helps 🙏