Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Are you a frustrated business owner or leader trying to manage your time better?
[00:00:04] You're not alone. Every week I speak with business owners and leaders who tell me they're drowning in meetings, reacting to everything urgent and finishing the day, wondering where the time went.
[00:00:16] So here's the truth. You can't manage time. Time doesn't bend, pause, or give you extra hours.
[00:00:24] You can only manage your priorities within the time you have. And that's the real driver of business growth. You're listening to why your business isn't growing and how to fix it, the Business Growth podcast for small business owners and SME leaders who want to scale, lift team performance and Sharpen leadership without 60 hour weeks.
[00:00:44] When we say we have a time management problem, what we really mean is that we haven't learned to control what gets our attention.
[00:00:52] I was speaking recently with a business leader I work with who told me her days just ran away from her.
[00:00:58] She said, I don't even have time to plan my day. It's gone before it starts.
[00:01:04] And that's the trap. Most business owners and leaders don't plan their priorities. They just try to survive the calendar.
[00:01:12] Here's some insight to the real conversation now. We started small. She'd been putting off a task. She dreaded one of those things that sits on your list for days because it just feels too hard.
[00:01:24] So I suggested she give it 15 minutes. Just 15 minutes. She did. She took the ate the frog approach and started the task and got it done that day. It wasn't about time. It was about focus.
[00:01:38] That small win gave her momentum to go bigger. She realized her week had no structure. She was relying on memory, emails and an endless list of tabs.
[00:01:50] So we made a shift. She decided to print the weekly roster pin on the wall and block out 20 minutes on a Friday to plan the week ahead.
[00:01:59] Then I asked her the most important question every business owner and leader needs to answer.
[00:02:06] Who owns your time?
[00:02:09] She paused, smiled, and said, I do.
[00:02:13] And that's the moment that changes everything.
[00:02:15] Because when you own your time, you can decide how to use it.
[00:02:19] We talked about boundaries. She's switching her team status to busy, closing the door, even putting up a friendly do not disturb sign for half an hour while she planned.
[00:02:31] And what I loved most of all was her mindset shift. She started treating her most important tasks like meetings with a client. She even scheduled a 10 minute meeting every morning with one of her big strategic priorities.
[00:02:45] Her version of what I call a big rock.
[00:02:48] So here's the mindset shift.
[00:02:51] You don't Manage time.
[00:02:53] You manage priorities inside time and the business owners and leaders who do that consistently grow faster, lead calmer and build stronger teams that perform without constant chasing.
[00:03:10] Here's a five step rhythm that I know works.
[00:03:14] Firstly, plan weekly and decide daily.
[00:03:18] Just use 20 minutes on a Friday to map out next week. Or if you're me, I like to use Sunday night. Look at your meetings, then choose one to three big priorities that will move your business or team forward.
[00:03:32] Second, book yourself like a client.
[00:03:35] Put those priorities in your calendar, name them, give them a time slot and show up for them like you would for your best customer.
[00:03:44] Third, start small and finish strong. If it's big or uncomfortable, start with just 10 or 15 minutes. Action creates energy and energy is what fuels progress.
[00:03:57] 4. Protect your priorities.
[00:04:00] Use boundaries, set your status to busy, close the door, ensure you turn off notifications.
[00:04:07] When you protect your focus, you protect your performance.
[00:04:11] And fifth, don't over structure. Build buffers. Your day never goes perfectly. It never ever goes perfectly. So leave breathing room. Plan anchors and not chains.
[00:04:25] And this is the real skill of leadership. Choosing what matters most, doing it deliberately and giving yourself grace when it doesn't all go to plan.
[00:04:35] Because business growth isn't about managing every minute. It's about being intentional with the minutes that matter.
[00:04:43] And here's four points I want you to remember from today's episode.
[00:04:47] Number one, you can't manage time, but you can own it. Number two, plan weekly and decide daily.
[00:04:57] Third, book yourself like a client. And fourth, protect your focus and your sanity with boundaries and buffers.
[00:05:06] So if this episode hit home, if you're tired of feeling reactive and want a proven rhythm to lead with calm confidence and control, then it's time to explore the High Impact Leader club. You can book a short call with me to see if the club's the right fit for you. Whether you lead the business or or lead the people within it, we'll map the rhythm that frees up your time, sharpens your focus and helps you grow without the grind. You can find a link to the club and how to book your call in the show notes you've been listening to, why your business isn't growing and how to fix it. The Business Growth podcast for business owners and leaders who want to scale their business, lift team performance and sharpen leadership without working 60 hour weeks.
[00:05:49] If today's episode helped you rethink how you manage your priorities, follow the show, share it with a fellow business owner or leader and keep leading with clarity. Because success that scales is built by design.
[00:06:01] Grow yourself. Grow your team, grow your business. Now go lead with impact.
