Here's how you can eliminate common time-wasting habits as an executive.

Of Course You love to do everything and all by yourself! And THAT is the problem!! You don't manage Time. It's a LIE! YOU need to manage yourself. My secret of getting the most out of the 24 hours is this- Accept that not all tasks are created equal. Identify high-impact activities that align with your goals. Focus on these tasks first and delegate or eliminate less critical ones. Consider using tools like the Eisenhower Matrix to distinguish between urgent and important tasks. Break large tasks into smaller, manageable steps to maintain progress. Schedule dedicated time blocks for high-priority tasks. Reassess and adjust your priorities regularly to stay on track. This helps you make the most of your limited time.

I apply organizational skills here and prioritize tasks and projects.Whether daily,weekly or virtually,prioritizing tasks helps to manage time effectively and manage oneself effectively.Even with prioritizing tasks,I discipline myself to allot specific time slots to each task or person or meeting so I can achieve my ‘to do’ list for the day and invariably for the week.

Meiner Erfahrung nach schieben gerade die analytischen Typen, die viele daten und Informationen brauchen, wichtige, aber nicht dringende Aufgaben vor sich her, weil sie oft perfektionistisch ticken. Sie m?chten diese Aufgaben so perfekt wie m?glich erledigen und verzetteln sich dabei. Das führt dazu, dass diese wichtigen Aufgaben oft zu lange liegen bleiben. Und pl?tzlich sind es zu viele zugleich wichtige und dringende Aufgaben! Mit der Eisenhower-Matrix kannst du dir bewusst machen, welche Aufgaben wirklich Priorit?t haben und dich motivieren, sie anzugehen, auch wenn sie nicht dringend erscheinen.

As a personal experience, early in my career, I often found myself bogged down with minor administrative tasks. To address this, I started using a prioritization matrix to categorize tasks based on urgency and importance. This simple shift helped me focus on high-impact projects, such as strategic planning and team development, significantly improving my productivity and overall effectiveness.

Delegate more! Not a very smart answer, right? If it were that simple, we wouldn't have so many managers stuck in this problem. The issue here is not about delegating, but what is behind doing this action. Executives have often built their careers on criticism and learned that they should align themselves with perfectionism. Thus, there is a deep-rooted limiting belief that if they share and let their teams be more relaxed, they will lose the podium and all the attention that was previously given to them. However, no growth is sustainable without building successors. As the Japanese at Toyota said in their lean leadership model, "The main function of a leader is to create new leaders. If you are not doing this, you are not leading."

“Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do.” Jessica Jackley The truth is, for some of us, it might be MORE important! And for most executives I've coached, having to delegate the work seemed harder than doing the work themselves. It's important to trust your team and delegate tasks whenever possible. This frees up your time for what's most important for you in your role as a leader- higher-level strategic thinking and decision-making. It is also essential to empower your team members to take ownership of their work. So STOP being a bottleneck in your team's growth! START Delegating well! What does that mean? Remember to delegate tasks as well as the authority! Delegation DOES NOT EQUAL Offloading your tasks.

Delegating tasks is not just about offloading work; it’s about empowering your team and trusting them with responsibilities that align with their strengths. Effective delegation allows you to focus on executive-level tasks and decisions that require your expertise. As a personal experience-- I once struggled with delegating because I felt a need to control every aspect of my work. However, as I started to delegate more thoughtfully, I noticed a positive change. For instance, assigning project management tasks to capable team members allowed me to concentrate on strategic initiatives, leading to better outcomes and team morale. It taught me the importance of trust and communication in delegation.

I just love what Dave Barry has said, "If you had to identify in one word the reason why the human race has not achieved and never will achieve its full potential, that word would be '????????????????.'" :) Evaluate the effectiveness of your meetings. Are they really necessary? Can the same information be shared through other channels- emails or brief updates? Reduce the number of meetings and ensure they have clear agendas and outcomes. Set clear agendas and objectives for every meeting and share in advance to allow time for preparation. Keep meetings focused and time-bound and encourage concise communication and actionable outcomes. Periodically review your meeting schedule to identify and eliminate inefficiencies.

Meiner Erfahrung nach hilft es, Meetings effizient zu gestalten, indem ich einige Regeln beachte. Vor dem Meeting prüfe ich, ob es wirklich notwendig ist oder ob es durch ein Telefonat oder eine Videokonferenz ersetzt werden kann. Nur diejenigen, deren Teilnahme erforderlich ist, werden eingeladen. Die Technik wird rechtzeitig überprüft. W?hrend des Meetings: Handys bleiben aus, und ich sorge dafür, dass jemand Protokoll führt. Aufgaben und Verantwortlichkeiten werden klar zugeordnet, und die Ergebnisse des letzten Meetings werden überprüft. Nach dem Meeting: konkrete Aufgaben mit klaren Fristen. Verantwortlichkeiten werden eindeutig festgelegt und beim n?chsten Meeting überprüft. die 3 Ws: Wer macht Was bis Wann?

Well, the thing to focus on is short meetings with actionable items and timelines along with who will take ownership of what. Meetings can be one of the biggest time-wasters if not managed properly. Limiting meetings to essential ones and ensuring they are focused and efficient can save a significant amount of time. I used to schedule frequent check-ins and status meetings, which often ran over time and disrupted my day. To address this, I implemented a practice of setting clear agendas and time limits for each meeting. Additionally, I reduced the frequency of meetings by leveraging collaborative tools for updates. This approach not only freed up time but also made meetings more productive and purposeful.

Mein Tipp: Zeiterfassungs-Apps wie RescueTime helfen, die eigene Zeitnutzung zu analysieren. Website-Blocker wie StayFocusd sperren ablenkende Seiten. Benachrichtigungen auf Smartphone und Computer ausschalten und feste Zeiten für E-Mails festlegen. Ein aufger?umter Arbeitsplatz und regelm??ige technikfreie Pausen. Klare Ziele und Priorit?ten sowie Achtsamkeitsübungen steigern die Produktivit?t und Fokussierung. Dies hilft mir, digitale Ablenkungen zu minimieren.

Technology can be a double-edged sword; it can either streamline your work or become a distraction. Using technology optimally means selecting the right tools and platforms that enhance your productivity and staying disciplined in their use. Sharing experience, I used to get overwhelmed by emails and notifications, which constantly disrupted my focus. To counter this, I adopted tools like task management apps and calendar scheduling systems, which helped me organize my workflow more effectively. I also set specific times for checking emails and turned off unnecessary notifications. These steps significantly reduced distractions and helped me stay focused on critical tasks.

A point we haven't talked about here is the cost of task switching. A study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology found that switching between tasks can cost up to 40% of productive time. Here are some tips to help avoid wasting time by minimizing this switching cost. Ruthlessly prioritize: Start your day by identifying the 2-3 most important tasks and tackle them first when your energy is highest. Batch similar tasks: Group similar tasks together to minimize context switching. Answering all your emails at once is a frequent example of this tip, except I think you would need to check and answer emails several times throughout the day.