Everyone faces ambitious objectives, yet daily obligations often overwhelm us, leaving little room for strategic thinking. Gaining extra time is essential for progress, and there are practical ways to reclaim it.
STRATEGY #1: Decline tasks that don’t align with your priorities.
In our professional lives, we’re often trained to accept every request, but it’s crucial to recognize when refusal is the wiser choice. For instance, if a coworker invites you to join a committee unrelated to your core goals, and it seems likely to detract from more impactful work, pausing to evaluate is key. Politely turning down such opportunities can be challenging, yet it’s vital for preserving your schedule—after all, research shows that only about 30% of individuals successfully meet their set objectives due to constant distractions.
By learning to say no, you create space for what truly matters. To guide this decision, consider these two prompts: first, reflect on your motivations, and second, assess potential repercussions. The reality is, many routine activities offer low value and can be skipped without harm.
1. What’s the real purpose behind this?
If you struggle to articulate a strong rationale in just a few words, it’s probably not worth your effort—opt out instead.
2. What happens if I skip this altogether?
Your supervisor might insist on your participation in certain cases, making refusal impossible, but in others, it could go unnoticed. In those scenarios, why commit? Common examples of easily avoidable tasks include:
- Crafting messages that garner no responses or weren’t requested.
- Reviewing correspondence that’s irrelevant to your role.
- Completing paperwork that serves no clear function.
- Attending gatherings where no real progress occurs.
This last point is particularly noteworthy, as statistics indicate that nearly half—around 47%—of workers identify excessive meetings as their primary time drain, potentially consuming up to 15% or more of a typical workday. To combat this, shift your perspective on meetings, offer written contributions when feasible, and assign your spot to a team member. Embracing the ability to decline empowers you to focus better.
STRATEGY #2: Outsource responsibilities where feasible and oversee their completion.
The key inquiry here is whether another individual could handle a given duty on your behalf.
The aim of this approach is to systematically reduce your direct involvement, freeing you from both execution and ongoing oversight, thereby allowing more time for high-priority pursuits. Additionally, involving others brings diverse skills and viewpoints to the table, enhancing outcomes and highlighting that being irreplaceable isn’t always necessary—it’s about optimizing your contributions for maximum effect.
Ultimately, we all seek the autonomy to dedicate our efforts to meaningful endeavors rather than spreading ourselves thin. It’s not about proving your indispensability; it’s about safeguarding your resources and channeling energy intentionally.
When evaluating tasks for delegation, start by exploring possibilities rather than immediate logistics. Is there anyone else with the capability to take this on? Differentiate between habits you’ve formed, obligations you can’t escape, and items truly unique to you—the ideal is to reserve your time for the latter. This process might feel unfamiliar at first, but consider these illustrations:
- A peer requests feedback on a marketing document; you’re not the sole expert in the field, so others could step in.
- Your workspace is disorganized; cleaning doesn’t require your personal touch and can be reassigned.
- You rely on your daily coffee; preparing it could easily be managed by someone else.
- Personal fitness is essential, but no one can exercise for you—note that only about 23% of American adults achieve the recommended physical activity levels, underscoring its importance.
Most tasks are delegable, and even partially, following a simple guideline: if you can describe the task in under a minute, it’s often worthwhile to do so and pass it along. Once identified, decide on the method: tap into your network or utilize external services.
For known contacts, a quick message or call suffices; for example, if asked to review a presentation, direct it to a knowledgeable colleague with a note like, “Your expertise would be invaluable here.” Alternatively, numerous paid or free services exist for various needs, from online research and presentation creation to writing assistance and schedule management, as long as confidentiality isn’t an issue. A prime example is scheduling tools that simplify meetings with just a shared link.
To ensure success, establish clear accountability measures when handing off tasks. Whether to a colleague or a service, follow-up is essential to avoid greater delays. Verbal agreements help, but documenting them is even more effective.
During discussions, specify deadlines for each item, verbally confirm them near the end, send a summary email right away, and include those dates. Then, automate reminders a few days prior to check progress, and if needed, follow up on the due date by replying to the original thread, seeking explanations and new timelines to prevent recurrence.
This structured approach keeps delegated items on track and maintains efficiency.
STRATEGY #3: Implement automation wherever possible.
Unlike delegation, this strategy focuses on whether technology can eliminate the need for human intervention entirely. By automating routines, you could slash up to 90% of the time previously spent, making processes faster and more reliable than manual efforts.
For instance, tools like Boomerang for Gmail help manage correspondence by scheduling sends and reminders; SummarizeBot uses AI to condense lengthy texts; and automated Slack notifications can gather team updates or prepare for one-on-ones, streamlining communication.
Applying these tactics—declining, outsourcing, or automating—across your task list serves as an effective foundation for recovering valuable time and prioritizing what truly drives success.