LME 045 – Time For What Really Matters
If you’re a leader, you probably know the feeling:
Another week has flown by, and you’ve barely managed to tackle the essentials of your daily workload. The to-do list keeps growing, your inbox overflows with emails, and your calendar is packed with back-to-back meetings.
Everyone—your boss, your team, your clients—demands your attention.
Meanwhile, that crucial one-on-one meeting with your key employee? Postponed for the third time. The strategic plan for your department? Still untouched.
You barely have time to think, let alone focus on what truly matters. And it’s not just work. Your personal life suffers too. When was the last time you exercised? Spent uninterrupted time with your family? Even when you’re home, your mind is still at work.
Your spouse says,
“You’re always working. You never have time for us.”
Why Does This Happen?
Simple: There’s always more work to do.
You’re running on a hamster wheel, going faster and faster but never arriving anywhere.
Be honest—are you doing tasks that someone else could handle? Are you taking on work that doesn’t actually need to be done right away? Or are you struggling to say “no” because you feel responsible for everything?
The truth is, working harder isn’t the answer. If you keep going like this, something will eventually break—your health, your family, or even your career.
So, how do you break free?
In my leadership training programs, I see this all the time. Leaders want to improve—they want to delegate effectively, give better feedback, and manage conflicts.
But before they can even start, they need one critical thing: time.
The good news? You CAN create time for what really matters. There are two kinds of strategies:
- Immediate actions that give you quick relief, freeing up 20% of your time in the coming days.
- Mid- to long-term strategies that fundamentally change how you work, eventually giving you back 50% or more of your time.
Let’s start with the immediate actions. Implementing these will give you quick wins, and with the extra time you gain, you can invest in the longer-term solutions.
Four Immediate Actions to Reclaim Your Time
1. Control Your Emails, Phone Calls, and Notifications
The biggest productivity killer? Constant interruptions.
Turn off ALL push notifications on your phone and computer—emails, WhatsApp, Slack, everything. Check your messages only two or three times a day. Yes, even emails. You’re not going to miss anything crucial.
If you think your boss or clients expect immediate replies, set expectations. A simple autoresponder saying, “I check emails at 11 AM and 3 PM. If urgent, call my assistant,” works wonders.
2. Minimize Unnecessary Interruptions
If your door is always open or your team feels they can interrupt you anytime, you’re constantly losing focus.
Block focus time in your calendar where you are NOT available. Let your team know when they can reach you instead. You’ll be amazed at how many “urgent” issues solve themselves when people are forced to wait.
3. Fix Your Meeting Culture
Meetings are the #1 time waster in most organizations. Here’s how to take control:
- Only attend meetings with a clear agenda and a defined outcome.
- Keep meetings under one hour whenever possible.
- If you’re a participant, set expectations upfront: “I have to leave at X time.” Even if you don’t have another meeting, this helps keep things on track.
- Challenge unnecessary meetings. Could this have been an email
4. Start Saying No
Many leaders struggle with this. But saying “yes” to everything means saying “no” to what truly matters.
The next time someone asks for your time, don’t immediately say yes. Try this instead: “I’d love to help, but I’m currently at capacity. Let’s revisit this next month.” Most of the time, the issue resolves itself or finds another solution.
Just implementing these four steps will free up at least 20% of your time. Now, let’s talk about how to make long-term changes.
Mid- to Long-Term Strategies for True Leadership Freedom
If you want to permanently reclaim your time, you need to transition from “just managing” to truly leading.
- Define and communicate your priorities. Be crystal clear on what’s important and eliminate distractions.
- Stop micromanaging. Train your team to take ownership instead of relying on you for every decision.
- Master delegation. If you’re doing work that someone else could handle, you’re not leading—you’re bottlenecking.
- Develop your team. Your job isn’t to be the expert; it’s to build a team of experts.
- Give better feedback. Guide your team without constantly looking over their shoulders.
I won’t lie—this takes time.
But the payoff is huge. If you do this consistently, you’ll get back 50% or more of your time, allowing you to focus on real leadership. And most importantly, you’ll regain control of your work AND personal life.
You CAN create more time for what truly matters. Start with the quick wins, then build the habits that will transform the way you lead.
Before you go, I’ve got something special for you!
Everything we’ve covered today – time management, delegation, setting priorities – is exactly what we work on in the brand-new Crash Course Leadership.
It’s a step-by-step system designed to help you become a confident and effective leader, while also regaining control over your time and workload.
And here’s the deal:
If you join the VIP list now, not only will you get the best price on the course, but you’ll also get access to an exclusive Live Online Masterclass – only for VIP members who join the program.
This masterclass will give you direct access to me, where I’ll answer your biggest leadership challenges and help you apply what you learn even faster.
But this bonus is only for those on the early access list – so don’t miss out!
Sign up now at berndgeropp.com/vip and secure your spot.
