Finding Time to Work with a Busy Calendar

How to Protect Your Priorities Against Constant Interruptions: Part 3 of 5 in Our Productive Leadership Challenge

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TLDR:

• Most leaders struggle with calendars dominated by others’ priorities and back-to-back meetings

• Even with a packed schedule, you can find space for your most important work

• Priority mapping helps you identify the hours where you have the most control

• Claiming even 1-2 focused blocks each day transforms your leadership impact

• Small shifts in how you approach your calendar lead to major shifts in what you accomplish

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Welcome to Day 3 of our Productive Leadership Challenge! Today, we’re exploring how to find focus when your schedule feels like it belongs to everyone but you.

In our journey so far, we’ve discovered how to start each day with intention and tackle the things we’ve been avoiding. Now we turn to another common leadership struggle – how to create space for what truly matters amid the constant demands on your attention.

As a reminder, here’s what you can expect throughout the Productive Leadership Challenge:

• Day 1: Starting the Day with Intention

• Day 2: Facing What You’re Avoiding

• Day 3: Finding Focus in a Busy Schedule (You Are Here)

• Day 4: Working with Your Energy

• Day 5: Setting the Tone for Your Team

Time Management When You Don’t Control Your Calendar

The unique challenge for leaders isn’t simply having too many meetings – it’s that you often have very little control over when those commitments appear on your calendar. Your role requires you to be available to your team, responsive to stakeholders, and present for important discussions.

Unlike individual contributors who might block off large chunks of time for focused work, leaders often find their calendars filled with other people’s priorities. The small windows between meetings quickly get consumed by urgent messages, unexpected issues, and team members who need “just five minutes” of your time.

A full calendar can feel draining – but it also undermines your ability to lead. When your day is consumed by reacting to others’ needs, you have no space to step back, see patterns, make connections, and develop the strategic vision your team needs from you.

How to Work with Your Real Schedule

Rather than trying to overhaul your entire calendar (which rarely works long-term), there’s a more realistic approach you can take: