Today’s world has become so busy.
We often think of our ‘busy-ness’ as a ‘badge of honor’ to be proud of, but this comes with consequences. Being SO BUSY becomes a hidden problem that can stop us from achieving what matters most, usually from the result of poor time management. Whether you’re running a company, leading a team, or working on personal goals, how you manage your time often determines your success.
The “No Time” Myth
How often do you hear someone say, “I just don’t have enough time in the day”? The truth is, EVERYONE gets the same 24 hours each day. The real question is: Are you spending your time on what really matters?
According to Lifehackmethod.com, the average employee is productive for just under 3 hours per day, and spends 51% of their workday on tasks of little to no value. That’s over half of a standard work week (!)
How Poor Time Management Hurts Companies
Goals Get Fuzzy
When time isn’t managed well, important business goals suffer:
- Projects miss deadlines, disappointing clients and colleagues
- Money and resources are wasted
- Team members work too hard and get stressed and burned out
- Leaders spend their days putting out fires instead of planning ahead
Almost half of all projects miss their deadlines because of poor time management. When this happens regularly, everyone starts focusing on just getting through today instead of working toward tomorrow’s success.
Teams Become Unhappy
When priorities aren’t clear and tasks pile up:
- People try to do too many things at once and do none of them well
- Work hours stretch longer and longer past acceptable times
- Meetings take up valuable time with little benefit
- Important messages get lost in the shuffle of chaos
Teams that struggle with time management have much higher turnover rates. People leave because they’re frustrated and exhausted, which is a costly problem for any company.
Decisions Get Rushed
When you’re always in a hurry, it’s hard to:
- Look at all the available information
- Consider different viewpoints
- Think about long-term effects
- Come up with creative solutions
This often leads to making hasty decisions or, sometimes worse, not making decisions at all.
How Poor Time Management Affects You Personally
Personal Dreams Stay Dreams
With poor time management, your personal goals keep getting pushed aside:
- That course or certification that could advance your career
- The fitness routine you’ve been meaning to start to feel healthy again
- The business idea you’ve been dreaming about to start the journey to financial independence
- Quality time with your family and friends become quick texts instead of quality one on one time
Every time you put these things off, it slowly starts to affect your confidence and happiness.
Work-Life Balance Disappears
Without good time boundaries:
- Fun activities feel rushed or stressful
- Relationships suffer from lack of attention
- Stress builds up, affecting your health
- You never fully recharge your batteries
People with poor time management report much higher levels of stress and health problems compared to those who manage their time well.
How to Take Back Control of Your Time
The good news? Time management is a skill you can learn. Here are some practical strategies that really work:
1. Block Out Time for Important Work
Instead of just working from a to-do list, set aside specific chunks of time for focused work. Try scheduling focused time blocks for your most important tasks (I call it my top 3 non-negotiables). Turn off notifications, close your email, and create a space where you can concentrate.
2. Sort Tasks by Importance and Urgency
Not all tasks deserve the same attention. Try dividing your tasks into four categories, based on the Eisenhower matrix:
- Must do now – Both urgent and important
- Schedule it – Important but not urgent
- Delegate if possible – Urgent but less important
- Drop it – Neither urgent nor important
This helps you focus on what truly matters instead of just what’s screaming loudest for attention.
3. Learn to Delegate Effectively
Good delegation isn’t about dumping unwanted tasks on others. It’s about matching tasks to the right people. Take a week to track what you do, then identify tasks that someone else could handle as well or better than you, to start freeing up time for more important matters.
4. Get Comfortable Saying “No”
Perhaps the hardest part of time management is keeping your hand down, and declining requests that don’t align with your priorities. This means:
- Knowing what your priorities really are
- Rehearsing and having polite ways to say no in your back pocket
- Being okay with some short-term discomfort
- Offering alternatives when possible
People who set clear boundaries report being much happier and more productive at work.
The Reward of Good Time Management
When you start taking time seriously, it becomes your most valuable and cherished resource. With better time management:
- Important projects move forward faster
- Your team feels less stressed and more in control
- You make better decisions
- Personal goals become achievements, not just wishes
- You feel better health wise, and about yourself
Management expert Peter Drucker quotes, “Time is the scarcest resource, and unless it is managed, nothing else can be managed.”
Your Time Shows What You Really Value
How you spend your hours reveals what truly matters to you, regardless of what you say is important. If your goals matter—at work and in your personal life—then protecting your time must become a priority.
When you manage your time thoughtfully, you don’t just get more done. You move with purpose toward the life and business you really want. The result isn’t just better productivity—it’s the deep satisfaction that comes from making progress on what matters most.
Need help getting you and your team’s time management on track? Start with this 3-Step Time Management Reset, and then let’s talk about how customized and targeted training can transform your results.