Time Management for Leaders

Time Management for Leaders: Our Top 5 Tips

As a leader, you have a lot of responsibilities resting on your shoulders. You’re overseeing your team members, making important decisions, and making sure your organization runs smoothly. And you feel responsible for not only doing it all – but taking it all in stride. 

But juggling a million different tasks every day can leave you stressed out and exhausted. More and more often, there just doesn’t seem to be enough time in the day to get it all done, which can be a sign that burnout is right round the corner.   

Learn more about preventing burnout

If you’re struggling to manage time effectively, you’re not alone. In fact, 82% of workers say they don’t have time management strategies in place.

So, how do other people in leadership positions seem to have it all together? It might seem like they have more hours in the day than the rest of us, but they don’t. They just have the essential time management skills to make the most of their days – without it spilling over into their personal lives.

And with a little guidance, you can, too. In this guide, we’ll share 5 tips you can start using to master time management, create a healthy work-life balance, and be the best leader you can be.

1. Prioritize tasks properly

You’ve likely heard this before and know it’s a key part of effective time management. But, as a leader, it can be difficult to prioritize because everything feels important.

But it can be done! These steps will help you assess your workload and prioritize appropriately.

1. Write down all of your tasks. Whether it’s on paper or a screen, get them all down in one place. Try sorting them by ‘one time’, ‘daily’, ‘weekly’, and ‘monthly’, if that helps you break them down a little more clearly.
2. Arrange them by (actual) urgency. Knowing how to differentiate important tasks from urgent ones will help you prioritize your workload. Urgent tasks are time-sensitive and need your immediate attention. Important tasks can wait, but you still need to get around to them sooner rather than later.
3. Tackle the most challenging items first. You may have been doing the opposite until now – getting through your easiest jobs first to shrink your to-do list and get your momentum going. But have you ever heard the phrase “eat the frog”? The full quote is commonly attributed to Mark Twain and goes something like this: “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.” Starting your day with your most difficult task will give you a better sense of accomplishment. After that, it’s all downhill for the rest of your day.

2. Time block

Time is a precious resource – one we never seem to have enough of in our leadership roles.

Ingvar Kamprad, the founder of IKEA, once said that he divides his day into 10-minute segments so every minute is accounted for. Now, you don’t have to be as ruthless with your timekeeping as Ingvar, but he makes a good point: blocking off your time for various tasks can help you get more done in the same amount of time.

Time blocking simply means scheduling out every part of your work day to allocate sufficient time for different tasks – even your breaks. 

It can be difficult to concentrate on the task at hand when you’re worried you might not have time to work on the other 3 that need your attention today. With time blocking, you can relax and focus knowing you’ve set aside time for those other items later in the day. 

Just be realistic with the time you set aside for each task to avoid leaving anything half-finished when it’s time to move on to the next block.

Tip: Leave a little room in your calendar to account for unforeseen circumstances. Things don’t always go to plan and it’s important to be flexible!

3. Delegate like a pro

Those in leadership positions can tend to take on too much – either because they can’t learn to let go or because they don’t think they’re allowed to. But the most successful leaders know when to delegate certain tasks and trust their teams to handle them.

When delegating tasks to other team members, clearly communicate expectations and give specific instructions if they’re needed. This helps them understand what exactly they need to do and gives you peace of mind that the task will be done to your standards.

Not used to letting others take the reins? Start with easier tasks, monitor progress, and work up to high-priority tasks over time. This is a great way to show your team that you trust them to take ownership of things and build their confidence in the process.

4. Learn to say ‘no’

As a leader, this can be tough. You want to take on every task, respond to every request, and attend every meeting that’s asked of you. But the reality is, effective leaders need to know—and respect—their own limits. And if you can’t say ‘yes’ and delegation’s not an option…you’re going to have to get more comfortable saying ‘no’ sometimes.

Consider the requests you get in terms of priority. Could the endless meetings and phone calls clogging up your calendar have been an email? The next time you get an invite for an unnecessary Zoom meeting, it’s okay to politely decline. 

If it’s something important – but not THAT important – you could offer a time-efficient alternative. So, instead of agreeing to an hour-long meeting, ask the organizer to put it in an email so you can get to it on your terms (and save time in the process).

Tip: Use this in your personal life to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Saying ‘no’ to things you don’t want to do can help reduce stress outside of work and improve your overall well-being.

5. Make use of productivity tools

Nowadays, there are countless tools and programs to help you track and manage your time. It may take a little trial and error to find one that works for you.

Here are some options that’ll make tracking your time a little easier:

• Toggl Track: With a 30-day free trial and effortless time tracking, Toggl Track is a solid choice for time management. It works in your browser and doesn’t get in the way of your projects, allowing you to stay focused and get stuff done. It also has a Pomodoro Technique setting so you can work for set intervals followed by a short break.
• TrackingTime: This free tool is another great option for time blocking and planning. Its straightforward interface is easy to navigate so you won’t spend extra time figuring it out.
• Memtime: Keep track of your computer activity so you can see how you’re spending time each day. No more remembering to start and stop your timer – just easy-to-use automatic time tracking so you can focus on the task at hand.

Master your time management skills and lead like a pro

Time management challenges affect us all. But with the right guidance, strategic planning, and some trusty tools, you can manage your time effectively – on and off the clock. 

Interested in more?

All of our programs and resources at the Center for Transforming Engagement are designed to build healtheir leaders, and to equip teams to lead in our complex environments. We invite you to get on our mailing list for additional content and opportunities.