As the year winds down, a lot of us are frantically busy tying up loose ends before the end of the week. It’s a good time to reflect on how effective it is to be so busy.
As a leader, it’s easy to equate busyness with productivity. Packed calendars and endless meetings are often seen as signs of being productive, yet they can also indicate a lack of purpose. When we are so busy, we are often stretched too thin to make meaningful contributions. To lead with impact, think about kicking off the new year with a new goal; to transform your calendar from a choc-a-block list of obligations and repetitive meetings into a reflection of your priorities and values.
Greg McKeown, author of Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, reflects on this concept: “If you don’t prioritise your life, someone else will.” Leaders who don’t manage their time proactively risk becoming reactive, spending their days responding to others’ demands instead of effectively progressing their own priorities. With a more intentional approach to time management, you can shift from being perpetually busy to profoundly purposeful. Here’s how.
1. Audit your calendar
While it’s tempting to believe every meeting or task is essential, many provide little value relative to the energy they consume. Conducting an honest audit of your regular calendar meetings can reveal opportunities to streamline your schedule and focus on what truly matters.
Spend a week tracking your time. Break it down into categories: meetings, admin tasks, strategic work, and personal growth. Ask yourself: Which activities align with my goals? Which could be delegated, postponed, or eliminated?
As McKeown’s states, “The way of the Essentialist isn’t about getting more done in less time. It’s about getting only the right things done.” By recognising and removing low-value tasks, you create space for your more important priorities.
2. Define your priorities
Without clear priorities, your calendar can become a jumble of competing demands. Take time to identify your top three objectives for the month ahead. Once your priorities are defined, use them as a decision-making filter. When a new request comes your way, ask yourself if it aligns with your goals? If not, is it possible to say no or delegate the task? By focusing on a few things that matter most, you’ll make a greater impact.
3. Delegate more
You know the feeling. A task comes up and it’s easier to just do it yourself than brief someone else on it. But it is often worth the time and effort to do it anyway. Firstly, you are empowering someone else and they will be able to do it without so much instruction next time. Secondly, delegating isn’t so much about offloading your tasks, it’s a strategic move that empowers your team and frees you to focus on more important decisions.
Start by identifying tasks that:
- Fall outside your core priorities.
- Align with the skills or development goals of your team members.
- Can be completed effectively without your direct involvement.
Then hand-ball them to your team and watch them thrive, while you free up your own time.
4. Schedule time for thinking
In today’s fast-paced environment, carving out time for deep, focused work is challenging. Yet, it’s essential for leaders who want to think strategically and solve complex problems. Protecting blocks of uninterrupted time on your calendar is crucial. Treat this time as sacred, just as you would an important meeting. Use it for activities that require concentration, such as strategic planning, creative thinking, or tackling critical projects. Don’t be afraid to close yourself off, turn off notifications and be unreachable for a set amount of time.
5. Remove unnecessary meetings
We’ve all been there. You have a million things to do, but you are stuck in pointless meetings that could have been covered in an email or with two or three people rather than a cast of thousands. For the new ear, why now get your team together to do an audit of meetings. Cancel recurring meetings that no longer serve a purpose, ensure all meetings scheduled have a defined objective, and invite only those whose input is essential. Why not also make sure all meetings fall within half an hour time block. By redefining your approach to meetings, you’ll reclaim valuable time but also improve the quality of the meetings themselves.
6. Build in flexibility
Even the most carefully planned schedule needs room for flexibility. Unexpected challenges, last-minute requests, or moments of inspiration can arise at any time. Building buffer time into your calendar ensures you can address these without derailing your day. If you can, try to have 15-30 minutes between meetings to decompress and prepare for the next. Block out time each week for unplanned but important tasks.
Moving from busy to purposeful is not about doing more; it’s about doing what matters most. By auditing your calendar, prioritising strategically, and creating space for deep work, you’ll lead with clarity and intention.
As Greg McKeown says, “When we forget our ability to choose, we learn to be helpless. But when we regain our power to choose, we live a life that really matters.”
Is your calendar allowing you to lead a life of greater impact? If your leadership team could do with my help in 2025, then get in touch today, I’d love to hear from you.