70,000.
That’s the number of hours you’ll spend at work over your lifetime.
It’s a conservative estimate; I haven’t included the hours you’ll spend commuting, or grabbing a bite during your lunch break. Some sources suggest it could be as high as 100,000 hours.
No matter which number you pick, it’s huge. No surprise there; we spend a massive chunk of our lives working. Given this, how you manage all these hours at work … good old Father* Time … is crucial.
* there’s the Dad reference; sorry about that
There are countless books, articles, apps, software, and productivity gurus out there, all designed to transform you into a productivity powerhouse. Like me, you’ve probably tried a few (or many) of them. When now running workshops for busy professionals on how to best manage their time, I’ve found that everyone has their own preferences and quirks. However, here are some general rules that work well across the board:
✅ Time Block Like a Pro – seems this is back in style, and for good reason: it works. The tricky part? Sticking to your blocks. Oh, and not blocking out every single part of your day. Batching (grouping) similar tasks falls into this category, too. Discipline is your buddy with this one.
✅ Prioritise Properly – I laugh when workshop participants tell me everything is urgent. If that’s true, you’ll need new categories like ultra-high priority, super-duper priority, and life-threatening priority. Oh dear. Instead, start each day by deciding the three most important things you need to accomplish. And go from there. Above all? Focus on tasks that will make a real impact in the long run.
✅ Delegate – (for managers, particularly) but delegate well, and properly. This is a superpower for good managers. If you do it right, it not only lightens your load but also empowers your team and helps them develop new skills. Win-win.
✅ Learn to Say No – sometimes you’ll be the bad guy/gal. And sometimes people (especially your boss) will pressure you to say yes. But you need to protect your time like it’s your last meal of the day. Be proactive, not reactive. This area also includes setting clear boundaries, and sticking to them. Saying no isn’t about being difficult; it’s about being smart with your time.
None of this is rocket-science, by the way. You’ve heard it before. And yet, so many people still struggle to manage their time well at work. Which means lots of people aren’t listening, no matter how good the advice is. My best tip of all? In each moment, simply ask yourself:
👉 What’s the best use of my time, right now?
Father Time: one of your most precious staff members. Yet also a rascal, trying to pull you in different directions throughout the day. How you manage him will determine your success. It’s worth stepping off the 9-to-5 treadmill to take a moment, and work out how to do exactly that.
