How Do I Make Sure I’m Spending My Time on the Right Tasks?

In my last FAQ, “Should I Be Using AI?”, I explored how to approach new tools with intention, focusing on what truly adds value rather than jumping on trends.

In this follow-up, I want to look at a question I get asked by almost every client I work with, something even more foundational: how we spend our own time. Before we worry about efficiency tools, automations or AI integrations, we need to understand if we are actually focusing on the right things.

Time is one of our most valuable assets, yet it is often the one we manage the least intentionally. Whether you are a founder, leader or manager, the feeling of being “stretched too thin” can creep in quietly until you realise that your days are full but your priorities are slipping. So how do you make sure you are spending your time on the right things?

Let’s break it down.

1. Start With Visibility: What's On Your Plate?

Before you can optimise how you spend your time, you need to understand what is currently consuming it. List out every task, project and area of responsibility that you are responsible for. This includes the obvious (client work, meetings, admin) and the invisible (decision-making, problem-solving, mentoring or firefighting).

Once you have that list, ask yourself:

• Which of these tasks adds real value to the business?

• Which could be delegated, automated or outsourced?

• Which could simply be stopped?

This is also a good time to sense-check your capacity. How many hours do you want or need to work in a week? Be realistic here. There is a big difference between a 40-hour week that is well structured and one that is constantly reactive.

If you find that your priorities and available hours do not align, it may be time to hire, restructure or delegate more effectively.

2. Define What's Worth Your Time.

Once you have clarity on what you are responsible for, map your tasks against their value. Ask yourself: What are the activities that only I can do, or where I add the greatest value?

That might be strategy, business development, relationship building or creative direction, whatever sits at the intersection of your skills and your business goals. Everything else can be considered for delegation.

3. Measure Before You Manage: Start Tracking Your Time

This is where data brings clarity.
I use the free version of Toggl, a simple time-tracking tool. In my setup, I create an entry for each client and then outline the projects I work on. For example:

• Research

• Planning and Strategy

• Meetings

• Recruitment

At the end of the month, I can pull a report and instantly see a pie chart of how my time has been distributed by client, by project or overall.

This visual snapshot is invaluable. It helps me see if I am over or under-servicing clients, or if I am neglecting my own business development (which we are all prone to when client work takes priority). It also gives me a tangible data point to measure progress month to month.

4. Apply The Same Method To Yourself

If your “client” is you or your business, simply create your own categories. For example:

• Team Management

• Business Development and Sales

• Marketing

• Finance

• Admin

• Networking

Before you start tracking, decide roughly how much time you should be allocating to each area to achieve your goals. Then track your time, even if it is approximate, each day or at the end of the week.

At month-end, review the data:

• Did you spend enough time on growth areas like sales and marketing?

• Are you spending too much on operational tasks?

• Are you meeting your leadership and team management needs?

This is a perfect example of the saying: “What gets measured, gets managed.”

5. Use Your Data To Drive Better Decisions

Once you have visibility on where your time actually goes, you can make informed decisions.
If you are constantly being pulled into admin or finance tasks, it is a sign that you may need to delegate or hire support. If sales and marketing are getting squeezed, you are likely holding back your growth.

Time tracking is not about micromanagement; it is about awareness. Once you know where your time is going, you can redirect it with intention.

6. Final Thought: Progress Not Perfection

Tracking your time can feel tedious at first, but like any good habit, it becomes second nature. Within a few weeks, you will start to see patterns, and once you see them, you cannot unsee them.

That awareness is what allows you to rebalance, reprioritise and ensure that your time aligns with your goals. Because when it comes to performance and growth, clarity really is everything.

If you would like support in identifying where your time is best spent or in building a structure that helps you work more effectively, I help clients do exactly that through focused strategy sessions and capacity planning audits.

You can get in touch to discuss how we can streamline your workload and ensure your time is invested where it has the most impact.