The "calendar audit" that saves 10 hours a week
You feel overwhelmed. You say "I don't have time."
You download a new to-do list app. You try the Pomodoro technique. You wake up at 5 AM.
But by Friday, you are still behind.
Here is the hard truth: You are not busy. You are reactive.
If I looked at your calendar right now, I would see a crime scene.
"Quick syncs." "Coffee chats." "Brainstorms." "Check-ins."
These are not work. They are procrastination disguised as collaboration.
The audit
Open your calendar. Look at last week.
Tag every single event with one of these three labels:
1. Revenue (Green)
Did this directly lead to cash?
* Sales calls.
* Building the product.
* Writing the sales copy.
2. Admin (Yellow)
Did this keep the lights on?
* Payroll.
* Legal.
* Hiring interviews.
3. Noise (Red)
Everything else.
* Networking calls with people who can't buy.
* Internal meetings without an agenda.
* "Picking your brain" sessions.
* Slack interruptions.
The purge
Now, look at the "Noise" bucket. It is probably 50% of your week.
Delete it.
* Cancel the recurring meetings: If there is no agenda, there is no meeting. Ask for an email update instead.
* Say "no" to the coffee chat: "I'm heads down on a project right now, but let's catch up next quarter."
* Stop "hopping on a quick call": If it takes 5 minutes to say, write it in an email.
The rule of 3
You only have energy for 3 big things a day.
Block out 2 hours every morning for "Deep Work."
* No Slack.
* No phone.
* No meetings.
Do the hardest thing first.
If you reclaim your mornings, you win the week.
If you let your calendar run you, you lose the year.
