Hey :)
I get asked this a lot - “How do you get so much done?”
The truth is… I’m not doing more.
I’m just doing the right things.
This block in my calendar is what I call my 20% time.
It’s not free time.
It’s not admin.
It’s not catching up on email or Slack.
And it’s definitely not “when I get a minute”.
20% time is where I work on the problems that unlock everything else.
The things that:
I get asked this a lot - “How do you get so much done?”
The truth is… I’m not doing more.
I’m just doing the right things.
This block in my calendar is what I call my 20% time.
It’s not free time.
It’s not admin.
It’s not catching up on email or Slack.
And it’s definitely not “when I get a minute”.
20% time is where I work on the problems that unlock everything else.
The things that:
- remove friction
- create leverage
- make future work easier or unnecessary
Things like:
- building an offer
- fixing a bottleneck
- deciding what not to do (strategy)
- setting others up to succeed
- thinking properly before acting
This is work that:
- only you can do
- doesn’t shout for attention
- is easy to avoid by staying busy
Most people don’t struggle because they’re lazy.
They struggle because their days get eaten by the other 80%.
Meetings. Requests. Helping. Reacting. Firefighting.
20% time is how you stop drifting and start leading your own work again.
One more thing that matters: If you’re doing this properly, other things will be messy.
Loose ends are normal.
Inbox zero is overrated.
Perfectionism kills leverage.
The goal isn’t to feel on top of everything.
The goal is to be working on the right thing.
If you want better results as you head into the new year, try this:
Ask yourself each day: “What’s the one problem I could work on today that would make everything else easier or unnecessary?”
Then protect the time to do that.
That’s 20% time.
🗣️ 👀
Chris.