5 Tips on Time Management From Busy Leaders

Recently, our team sat down with our some of our panelists for our Women In Leadership breakfast at the upcoming Breakthrough Conference. I was happy to sit back and soak up all the knowledge I could from these inspiring ladies and men. One thing rang through crystal clear from our calls with them: how to manage time effectively with life and business.

As a sneak peek of the panel, I am excited to share five tips on time management from some of our panelists and our moderator.

1. Do not check your email first thing in the morning.

This gem came from North Shore Pediatric Therapy's CEO, Maria Hammer. Maria said if you want to stick to your priorities, do not check your emails. If you check your emails first thing, it will rewrite your entire day.

2. Be crystal clear about what you want during your day.

Cayla Heeringa from Cannon, our millennial panelist, brought up this great tip. What do you want from your day, what are the exact outcomes you would like to see at the end of your day? Be crystal clear about what you want so that you can be effective in organizing your day around it.

3. Schedule your meetings ahead of time.

Only schedule meetings that have a clear agenda and stated purpose. For every meeting organized, begin with the end in mind by recording what outcome will make it a successful meeting.

4. Don't let the fear of delegation get to you!

As an experienced leader, Maria Hammer knows that one of the most common pitfalls of time management is a fear of delegation. You can't be everywhere and do everything at once. Determine what you need to prioritize and who can fill in where you can't.

5. Schedule your week before it even starts.

Our moderator, Cathy McCullough is a strong proponent of meeting with yourself. Take time at the end of your week to think about successes and priorities. Think about what would make your week successful, and figure out what you need to meet those goals.

Time management is a critical skill for all leaders.

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