Productivity and organisational expert Lara Nercessian shares the time management tools used by CEOs to declutter their schedules and get hours back every week.

How often have you completed an intense work week, only to look back and wonder where your time went? You know you were busy. You know you had a long to-do list. You know you felt anxious and overwhelmed. However, upon reflection, you realise you have little to nothing to show for your efforts.

This experience is more common than you may think. As a productivity expert and mentor to high-performing CEOs, I work with ambitious individuals to declutter their schedules and get valuable hours back into their week.

In fact, research published in the American Psychological Association shows that adopting small, personal habits can significantly increase productivity leading to significant improvements in performance.

Here are three key steps you can take to increase your productivity whilst creating more spaciousness and ease in your day:

1. Utilise a world-class planning methodology

Ever heard of the saying “A goal without a plan, is simply a wish?” Most of us have been taught at some point to create a to-do list of all the tasks we have to accomplish. Whilst this serves a purpose to an extent, there is no plan tied to those to-do list items, often making it feel like an unachievable wish list.

Instead, I teach my clients my own time-tested methodology – The Boss Planning Method. In this weekly practice, clients devote one hour of their time each week to:

• Identify their 2-3 highest priority actions for the week
• Schedule in outcome-based tasks into their calendars
• Utilise their calendars to capture all other meetings, commitments and priorities – including time to go to the gym and for self-care

2. Eliminate distractions

In his best-selling book Stolen Focus, Johan Hari describes the seven greatest forces that steal our time, energy and focus – from technology to other global forces.

High performers recognise the need to create personal practices to safeguard their focus, so that they are able to get into a flow-state and do the deep work.

Some practical ways to expand your attention include:

• Utilise your schedule to check emails, messages and social media at certain, scheduled times of the day
• Use time management techniques such as the Pomodoro Technique
• Reduce/outsource/eliminate other distractions from your work day – whether it is scrolling, prolonged conversations by the water cooler or tasks that are not aligned to your highest vision.

3. Create time for spaciousness

 World-class performers recognise the need for spaciousness in their day. Bill Gates plans his infamous ‘think weeks’ each year. Warren Buffet allocates 5–6 hours to read each day. Many CEOs can be found on the golf course, recognising the need for spaciousness and how time away from their desks can spark their greatest ideas, and solutions to problems and increase their levels of productivity.

Utilising Time Management Tools

The use of time management tools and planning practices can enable you to gain valuable hours back each week, resulting in more time to create, think and do more of what you love. When you’re ready to ‘Marie Kondo’ your time, you’ll not only increase your productivity, but create more spaciousness and ease in your day, too.

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