How to create time in your schedule: 3 practical examples

Back in January, I suggested that a really useful project for 2026 would be to monitor your weekly routine to identify tasks that suck your time but don’t add much value to your life, whether that be work life or personal life. 

You can read the original article here

The exercise grew out of a technique I use with busy leaders which encourages them to challenge as many of their thoughts and behaviours as possible in an attempt to ensure their current mindset is as effective as it possibly can be.

For example, in this case, the challenge is to alter the mindset from the traditional, ‘I’m so busy, I simply don’t have time for XYX’ and replace it with the more curious, ‘what if the way I’m currently operating is creating the lack of time?’

The article got a lot of interest and for the last few months people have been sending me examples of what they observed in their schedule that was costing time and, more importantly, the solution they identified.  

Here are three really impactful improvements that you might find useful to apply to your routine.

Work: delegation

Several individuals identified a selection of admin tasks which, although important and also providing a little bit of a dopamine hit as they were quantifiable and satisfying to complete, really weren’t the best use of any senior leader's time.

They were more process and maintenance activities that were part of an outdated way of operating rather than teaching anybody anything new or developing skills for the future. 

Those who analyse their weekly tasks through the lens of what’s really important and should be protected versus what can be handed over to others, or even removed from the schedule, very soon benefit from improved focus, efficiency and enjoyment of their time at work as they feel they are doing the stuff that’s important for them to do, rather than getting stuck in the weeds of operational procedures. 

For more on this approach, read ‘do it, ditch it or delegate it’

Healthy habits: alcohol*

Aside from the health benefits of reducing or removing alcohol from the schedule, one of the most commonly reported life enhancements is that people feel they have way more time in their hands. 

And not only is there more time, it’s excellent quality time as the vast majority of people report better sleep, clearer thining, less anxiety, improved focus and improved energy levels as a result of removing booze from their routine. 

Additional health benefits can include the following:

• Lower blood pressure

• Reduced risk of seven types of cancer

• Stronger immune system

• Improved mental health

• Improved liver function

If you'd like to read more on this subject, here's a post on how to design an effective alcohol strategy

*Mindful of the fact that changing a relationship with alcohol won’t be relevant for everyone, positive performance results have been experienced by individuals who took time to change their relationship with caffeine, junk food or sugary snacks. Given that how we fuel ourselves with food and drink is crucial to how we feel every day, it's a great idea to check in regularly with yourself and review the what, when and how much of everything we put in our bodies to see where we might want to update our approach.

Life improvement: social media

While kids get most of the flack for wasting too much time on their phones, you might (or maybe not) be surprised to discover just how many adults, at all levels of seniority, express the desire to spend less time online.

I hear it often when discussing what would make like better and more enjoyable. ‘Less doom scrolling’. ‘Not spending so much time on YouTube, Tik Tok or Instagram’. ‘Don’t stay up so late watching Netflix’. 

Interestingly, those who set time boundaries with their media consumption, or even go cold turkey for a while, say they don’t miss any aspect of social media or passive viewing and feel much calmer, productive and in control as a consequence of less screen time. 

So, if you haven't begun the process already, get investigating where you might be losing time each week to outdated or low quality activities and start to get more intentional around these habits.

Change one thing and you'll grab back hours if not days across each month.

Update your approach in a number of areas and you'll be amazed at how different your life will feel.