Time Blocking for Meetings

Let’s talk about calendars. Not colour-coding. Not scheduling preferences. Control. Because if you’re working with an executive who says yes to everything - even when they’re overwhelmed, exhausted, and barely holding it together - then no system, tool, or template is going to save them. This is where you step in. It’s your job to protect their time. Not just to maximise productivity, but to prevent burnout. To protect their ability to lead, think, decide, and still go home with something left in the tank. But here’s a truth they are not going to like: Nothing changes unless they give up control. No boundaries will hold unless you manage the calendar, you handle the requests, and they back you 100%. Here’s what I recommend: 1. No one has access to their calendar except you. No self-booking. No surprise 30-minute “catch ups.” You manage all entries. 2. They don’t touch their calendar. If they want to book something, they come to you. Full stop. 3. They direct everyone to you. Every time someone asks for a slot, the answer is: “I’d love to connect - please speak to my assistant to find a time.” 4. When people try to sidestep you (and they will)… They respond with humour and firmness: “If I mess with my calendar, my assistant will kill me.” 5. You triage every request through the 1–5 system. 1 = Mandatory 2 = Important 3 = Nice to have 4 = Should be delegated 5 = Should not happen Train your executive that when they forward you meeting requests or respond to someone wanting time, somewhere, under the signature, where nobody will look, they add which of the above numbers is applicable to this meeting. They should also include how long they think the meeting needs. So for example 1:20 means this meeting is mandatory and it needs to be 20 minutes long. That’s it. One number. One time estimate. You take it from there. You decide how it fits into the week (if at all), whether it needs prep or follow-up time blocked around it, and whether something else needs move to make it happen. This one tiny habit - adding a number and time - saves hours. It forces them to pause and think: Is this the best use of my time? It gives you the context and authority to manage their workload strategically. It puts you both on the same page without needing a back-and-forth. You categorise. You prioritise. You decide what makes it onto the schedule - and what doesn’t. Because a full calendar doesn’t mean impact. It just means exhaustion. And the price is paid in poor decisions, missed moments, and personal burnout. What you’re doing isn’t just admin - it’s operational strategy. So if your executive is ready to stop being reactive and start working smarter? This is your moment. Step in. Take control. And lead the calendar like you’re executive’s success depends on it. Because it does. 🔁 Repost to share 👉 Follow me Lucy Brazier OBE for administrative profession related content and inspiration. Credit to Laura Belgrado for the 1-5 system 🤗

In high-growth startups, speed is an asset—but without structure, it quickly turns into misalignment. As an Operator, one of the most effective ways I drive clarity, protect focus, and help teams operate at their best is through time blocking. It’s not about squeezing more into the day. It’s about making sure time is aligned with priorities—at every level of the business. Here’s the system I rely on: 1. Color-code by theme. Strategy. Deep work. Ops. People. Life. I scan my calendar and instantly know whether I’m working on the business—or buried in it. 2. Block proactively—not when it’s already too late. If it’s important, it gets time before the week fills up. This protects priorities from becoming afterthoughts. My weekly calendar is blocked and prepped before Monday morning. 3. Move blocks—don’t delete them. Structure should flex. But if it mattered enough to schedule, it matters enough to reschedule. 4. Let your calendar mirror your role. Some weeks require decisions. Others demand space to solve root issues. Time blocking evolves with the company. 5. Make space strategic. I block time for walking 1:1s, solo beach treks after work, and actual thinking. Because clarity is a leadership advantage. Time blocking isn’t a productivity hack. It’s a leadership discipline. And in fast-moving environments, it becomes cultural. Your calendar should reflect your role in driving the business forward—not just surviving the week.

Stop letting everyone else control your calendar. Your peace isn't up for negotiation. The constant pressure to be available for everyone. The endless "quick requests" draining your energy. The back to back meetings stealing your focus. It ends now. Time to protect your time with purpose, not guilt. 💥 15 Power Phrases That Put You Back in Control: 1. "I check emails at 10 and 3, I'll give this my full attention then" ↳ Notifications off between check-ins. Your brain needs the space. 2. "Tuesday works best - I'll have dedicated time for this" ↳ Keep a buffer day in your week. Watch stress drop. 3. "I'm in deep work mode until 2pm - I'll catch up on messages after" ↳ Airplane mode as your secret weapon. Depth beats shallow work. 4 "My calendar is full this week, but I can help you find another solution" ↳ Template predictable asks. Save mental energy. 5. "Let's wrap up 5 minutes early to plan next steps" ↳ Physical timer in view - makes the boundary real. 6. "I'll review my calendar and get back to you by end of day" ↳ Power hour at 3pm for all pending decisions. 7. "I need to check how this fits with my current priorities first" ↳ Use notes app to track requests. Review at 4pm daily. 8. "I appreciate you thinking of me - can we discuss this tomorrow?" ↳ Template this response. Use it without guilt. 9. "I'm focused on an important deadline for the next hour and a half" ↳ Phone in another room. Space creates clarity. 10. "This isn't something I can commit to right now" ↳ Practice in your mirror first. Build confidence. 11. "I'm offline this weekend - [name] can help with anything urgent" ↳ Set this up Thursday. Prevent Friday panic. 12. "I block 12-4pm for meetings and collaboration" ↳ Make this your calendar default. No exceptions. 13. "We have 5 minutes left - let's prioritize key decisions" ↳ Set a visible timer in meetings. Watch efficiency soar. 14. "I'll need three business days to deliver quality work on this" ↳ Add 20% buffer to your timeline. Always over-deliver. 15. "I'm signing off for the day - happy to continue tomorrow at 9" ↳ Schedule tomorrow's priorities before logging off. Your calendar reflects your priorities. Make sure your peace is at the top of the list. Which power phrase will you use to protect your time today? -- ♻️ Repost to help your network take back control of their time in 2025. ✅ Follow Dr. Carolyn Frost for more practical strategies on purposeful productivity.

You’re the boss. Not your calendar. 7 ways to make it work for you 👇 Too many leaders are racing from one block to the next without space to breathe, reflect, or lead clearly. You don’t need more time. You need more space inside your time. Here are 7 schedule shifts that can help you build calm, clarity, and control: 1️⃣ Front-load your focus Your best thinking hours are early — protect them. ➡️ Try this: Block your first 60 minutes for deep work. No meetings. No context-switching. 2️⃣ Build in buffers Back-to-back intensity compounds stress. ➡️ Try this: Insert 15–30 minute buffers after key meetings. Let the moment breathe before you move on. 3️⃣ Know your energy zones Not all hours are equal. Treat energy like a resource, not a mystery. ➡️ Try this: Map your high-focus, low-focus, and social windows. Schedule accordingly. 4️⃣ Guard the golden hour (2–3 PM) It’s not a dead zone. It’s a reset zone — if you use it well. ➡️ Try this: Protect 2–3 PM for a walk, soft focus, or energizing 1:1s. Avoid heavy lifts if you can. 5️⃣ Label thinking time — or you’ll lose it Free time becomes filled time unless it’s named. ➡️ Try this: Block one hour weekly labeled “Think / Decide / Reflect.” Treat it as sacred. 6️⃣ Batch by mental mode Switching gears constantly kills clarity. ➡️ Try this: Group meetings by mode: strategic, operational, creative, etc. Batch emails too. Preserve flow. 7️⃣ End the week with a power hour Reflection sustains momentum. ➡️ Try this: Use time on Friday to review your wins, learning, and next areas of focus. 🌀 You don’t need to slow the world down. You just need to stop the rush inside you. Slow time isn’t a luxury. It’s a leadership advantage. ➡️ What would you add? ♻️ Repost to help others leverage slow time. ➕ Follow Ed Manfre for more like this. — 🔋 Want to lead with more energy? 🔋 Get my PDF guide here: https://lnkd.in/dNirAjvG