Ever feel like you’re constantly running on a hamster wheel, busy from morning till night, but at the end of the day, you’re left wondering where all the time went and why your most important tasks are still staring back at you from your to-do list? It’s a common feeling, this sense of chasing time, hoping to ‘find’ a spare hour here or there to tackle that big project or finally get to that personal goal. We often hear ourselves saying, “I just don’t have time for that,” or “I need to find time to do X, Y, Z.”
But what if the very idea of ‘finding time’ is part of the problem? What if true productivity isn’t about magically discovering extra hours, but about intentionally making them? This isn’t just a semantic difference; it’s a fundamental shift in how we approach our days, our weeks, and our lives. It’s about moving from a reactive stance, where we’re constantly responding to demands, to a proactive one, where we’re consciously shaping our schedule to align with what truly matters.
My co-host, Brooks, often shares a powerful truth: you don’t find time for things that matter, you always make time for things that matter. This isn’t about inventing more hours in the day (we all get 24, right?). It’s about recognizing that our entire life is based on priorities. If something is truly a priority, we have to look at our schedule and make the hard choices to carve out the space for it. It’s like when you say “yes” to marrying your significant other; you implicitly say “no” to all other potential partners. The same goes for your commitments and your time.
The Reactive Trap vs. The Proactive Path
Think about it: when you’re trying to “find time,” you’re being reactive. You’re hoping an opening appears, or you’re waiting until the last minute to squeeze something in. This often leads to stress, missed deadlines, and that nagging feeling of being perpetually behind. You might tell yourself, “I’ll figure out some time on Tuesday to work on this project.” But then Tuesday arrives, and you’re still trying to “figure it out,” often ending the day with the task still undone, rolling over to the next day, and the next.
This is the negative spiral: constantly playing catch-up, feeling like you’re always firefighting. It’s exhausting and rarely leads to significant progress on your most important goals.
The proactive path, however, is about intention. It’s about saying, “I know this is coming up, so I’m going to make time for it.” This means allocating specific time slots on your calendar for your priorities before the day or week even begins. If you know you need to work on a report on Tuesday, you block out 2-3 PM for it. Now, before that time even arrives, you’ve already committed to it. You’re not hoping; you’re planning.
Your North Star: Prioritization in a Busy World
One of the biggest struggles I hear from people is, “How do I prioritize when everything feels equally important?” If you have ten things on your to-do list and they all seem critical, then nothing truly is. Prioritization is a skill, and it starts with having a clear “North Star.”
What are you striving for? What’s the bigger picture? Whether it’s getting in the best shape possible, launching a new product, or delivering a key client report, having that overarching objective makes decision-making much easier. If your North Star is being in the best shape possible, choosing to cook a healthy meal at home over fast food becomes an easy decision, even though both options provide food. One aligns with your goal more than the other.
This applies to your work life too. If you work for an organization, what are their specific outcomes or objectives? Your tasks should align with those. It’s about zooming out and asking: “Which of these tasks moves me closer to my ultimate goal or the organization’s objective?”
Brooks often reminds us that many people get into trouble because they’re busy grinding on tasks that aren’t valued by their manager or team. Knowing your true objectives is step one to making smart decisions about where to allocate your time. It’s not just about doing more; it’s about doing the right things.
The Power of the Block: Tools and Tactics for Time Mastery
Once you understand the concept of making time, how do you actually do it? The simplest and most effective way is to block it off on your calendar. For many, this is step one.
- Use a Calendar You Love: If you’re not using a calendar, start now. If you are, make sure it’s one you enjoy using. There are many alternatives to standard tools like Outlook or Google Calendar. For example, I use Fantastical, which uses Google Calendar on the backend but has a much more user-friendly interface. When you like your tool, managing your time becomes more enjoyable.
- Claim Your Time: Everyone has open blocks of time in their day. If you don’t claim it, someone else will. Be proactive and block off time for your priorities. If something comes up, you have the power to renegotiate how that time will be used.
- Aim for Focused Blocks: I aim for at least 90 minutes of uninterrupted focus time every day. Two hours would be amazing, but 90 minutes is a solid “silver medal” performance. Even if you can only start with 20-30 minutes, that’s a win. The goal is to work your way up. Imagine the progress you can make with consistent, deep focus. Ten 10-minute increments of scattered work simply don’t compare to one 90-minute block of intense concentration. Your output and quality of work will be significantly higher.
- Know What to Do, When: Most people know what they need to do, but the missing piece is when. Start each day knowing not just your tasks, but the specific times you’ve allocated to them. This simple shift makes a huge difference in moving from reactive to proactive.
- Tasks vs. Outcomes: Highly productive people often think in terms of outcomes, not just tasks. An outcome, like “taxes filed by end of day,” encompasses multiple tasks. When you block time for an outcome, you’re setting yourself up to make significant progress, even if you don’t complete every single sub-task within that block. You’re still moving closer to your goal.
Embrace the Flow: Flexibility and Self-Compassion in Productivity
Even with the best planning, life happens. Emergencies arise, priorities shift. This is where flexibility comes in. Being rigid can be counterproductive. I learned this firsthand when working with a coaching client whose company was growing rapidly, leading to daily emergencies. Blocking off time felt impossible for him.
My advice? Start small. Even 30 minutes of focused work on one key task is a win. And crucially, implement a daily review. For him, it meant pausing for 10-15 minutes around lunchtime to re-evaluate priorities, adjust his schedule, and strategize for the rest of the day. This simple habit helped him feel less frantic and more in control, even amidst chaos.
- The Daily Review: If your days are unpredictable, a daily review (even a quick 10-15 minute check-in) can be a game-changer. It allows you to pause, reset, and re-prioritize based on new information, preventing that negative spiral of feeling constantly behind.
- Don’t Attach Outcomes to Every Block: This is a subtle but powerful shift. When I block time on my calendar, I go in with the intention to work on something, not necessarily to finish it. If you expect every time block to result in a completed outcome, you’ll often feel guilty or like a failure when roadblocks appear (and they will). Instead, focus on making significant progress. You’re still getting closer to your goal, and that’s a win.
- Be Kind to Yourself: It’s easy to beat ourselves up when things don’t go according to plan. But remember, you can only do what you can do. If you find yourself consistently missing your goals, it’s a sign to re-evaluate your approach, not to spiral into self-criticism. Have grace with yourself, tweak your system, and keep moving forward.
Making Time, Making Progress
Productivity isn’t about perfection; it’s about consistent, intentional action. By shifting your mindset from “finding time” to “making time,” you reclaim control over your schedule and your most important goals. It’s a journey, and it starts with small, deliberate steps.
