The "calendar audit" that saves 10 hours a week

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.