The Reality of Time Management: Finding What Works for You
Have you already thrown out your 2025 planner and given up on your resolutions? Don’t fret. All isn’t lost yet….
Between work, family, and everything else life throws your way, it’s easy to feel like you’re always playing catch-up. Maybe you’ve tried all the time management hacks—focus days, waking up at 5am, time blocking, AI-powered calendars—only to find they don’t quite fit your reality.
The truth? There’s no single “perfect” system. What works for a 25-year-old entrepreneur or a productivity guru might be completely unrealistic for you. And that’s okay.
Instead of forcing yourself into a rigid structure, let’s talk about real, flexible strategies that actually work—ones that fit your energy levels, your schedule, and your life.
The Most Common Approaches (And Why They Sometimes Fail)
1. The “Focus Day” Fantasy
The dream: blocking out entire days for deep work with zero distractions. The reality? Life happens. Urgent emails, client fires, or just not feeling creative that day. Focus time needs a backup plan—because inspiration doesn’t always show up on schedule.
2. The “Big to Small” Trap
Breaking massive projects into smaller steps is great—until you spend more time organizing your to-do list than actually doing the work. Sound familiar? Sometimes, you just have to start.
3. The 5 AM Miracle (or Misery?)
Getting up before the world wakes up can be powerful—if your life allows it. But without an early bedtime and structured evenings, that 5am motivation fades fast. The fix? A morning routine that works for you, not someone else’s highlight reel.
4. Calendar AI Tools (Not Magic, But Helpful)
AI-powered scheduling tools sound like a dream, but they’re only as good as how you use them. If you don’t tell them what matters—like blocking real focus time—they’ll just fill your day with more meetings.
5. Time Block Timers
Short bursts of focused work can keep you on track. But let’s be honest—creativity doesn’t always fit into a 25-minute window.
A Real-World Approach That Actually Works
I don’t follow a rigid time management system—I’ve built a flexible approach that works with my life, not against it. Here’s how:
🔹 50/50 Split Between Meetings & Focus Time – Depending on the week, I aim for a 50/50 split between meetings and focused work. Focus work includes content creation, meeting prep, action item reviews, and administrative tasks.
🔹 3-Hour Focus Blocks Instead of “Focus Days” – I don’t wait for the elusive full-day deep work session. Instead, I block three-hour chunks of focus time throughout the week. If I wake up and I’m not in the zone? No big deal—I still have other time slots to get things done.
🔹 Breaking Large Tasks into 30-Minute Wins – My 30+ year career taught me that feeling overwhelmed often comes from seeing the whole mountain instead of the next step. When I break big projects into 30-minute tasks, I take back control.
Want to try it? Take your big project, list out every step, and make sure each task can be done in 30 minutes or less. Most people can find 30 minutes once or twice a week. You’ll be shocked at how fast you power through things.
🔹 Prep the Night Before to Minimize Morning Decisions – For anything I have early in the morning—whether it’s a workout, work, or a meeting—I prep the night before. Why? It removes the mental clutter so I can hit the ground running. Clothes laid out, materials prepped, tabs open and ready.
I don’t want to think before I start my day—I just want to do.
🔹 AI, But Only Where It Actually Helps – There are endless AI tools out there, but I only use what actually saves me time.
Read.AI is my indispensable meeting note-taker. It lets me stay fully present in conversations instead of scrambling to take notes. It integrates with Gmail and Notion, which I’m using more and more for organization.
I also use Gamma (for presentations), ChatGPT (for creating my own GPTs), Claude (for writing), and Perplexity Pro (for search).
The key? AI is a tool, not a crutch. It works best when you’re clear on what you need from it.
At the end of the day, everyone has different constraints, energy levels, and work styles. The goal isn’t to copy someone else’s system—it’s to experiment and adapt until you find what fits. My own approach has evolved over time (hello, AI tools!), and yours will too.
The Key Takeaway
The best time management system isn’t about perfection—it’s about sustainability. Here’s what actually helps:
✔ Figure out the part of the day where you have the most control. If you’re trying to work out after work and life continues to get in the way, accept that and figure out a new plan.
✔ Accept that some days will be messy. Some days flow, some don’t. That’s normal. It’s ok to just survive and advance.
✔ Small wins build momentum. 30-minute chunks add up faster than you think. Progress beats perfection.
✔ Work with your energy, not against it. Some days, deep work is easy. Other days, emails are all you can manage. Plan accordingly.
Getting Started
Don’t overhaul your entire routine overnight. Instead:
✅ Pick one small change. Prep for tomorrow tonight. Break one big project into 30-minute tasks. Just start somewhere.
✅ Pay attention to what works. Your natural patterns will tell you more than any productivity book.
✅ Ditch what doesn’t serve you. If a strategy feels forced, it’s not the right one. Keep what fits, toss the rest.
Time management isn’t about becoming a machine—it’s about making space for what actually matters. And that starts now.
Need Help Making This Stick?
If you’re tired of feeling like time is slipping away—and you’re ready for a system that actually fits your life—I’ve got you.
Individual Accountability Coaching via Texting — via SMS, WhatsApp or Signal, Go Long will track your progress, help you adjust what’s not working, and keep you moving forward—without adding more to your plate.
Corporate Coaching — This offering is in soft-launch after running in beta late last year. Different packages are available depending on your needs. The starting package is a 1-hour talk track to help make you and your team(s) more productive while picking up time management skills you can all can use that day.
Small shifts lead to big results. Make them happen with Go Long.
