Effective time management for leaders

Countless things can distract business owners and leaders from their primary roles. It's often about driving sales and moving their business forward.

To be successful, however, you need to manage and watch your time well. The key is not only to get it all done, but also to avoid burnout and feel satisfied and accomplished at the end of the day.

That said, check out these 12 tips for new ideas or reminders that will help you up your time management game. And, in turn, become the most productive boss ever.

1. Choose your rubber balls and glass balls.

Multi-tasking can be detrimental to your productivity and your health. For this reason, priorities are key. And, to prioritize, you need to think in terms of rubber and glass beads.

When you drop a glass ball on your team or company, you will suffer the long-term consequences. You have to take care of them yourself if you don't want them to be broken.

Rubber balls, on the other hand, can be manipulated later or even delegated. Because they bounce, dropping them isn't a big deal.

Using this analogy, you are able to identify which tasks to include in your schedule when making this comparison.

Taking that into consideration, what tasks are you going to give up today?

2. Arrange the tasks in the correct order.

Everyone tends to fall into the same trap, whether or not they hold a leadership position. They waste time picking fruit within reach. While answering emails, organizing computer files, and cleaning up your desk might seem productive, they might not be the most important or urgent tasks.

For this reason, many people start their day by tackling their most important task (MIT). Therefore, the most appropriate time to address your most pressing issues is in the morning, when people are most alert and energetic.

After completing all the "must do" activities, you can slowly work your way through the "would be nice to do" activities.

3. Get out of anything you don't need to be directly involved in.

"Put simply, let your team do their job," advise the experts at the Methods of 100 Coaches blog. "In theory, you've hired perfectly capable candidates for the job, and you need to trust them implicitly to carry out their tasks."

This can be difficult if you tend to micromanage or obsess over every little detail. However, getting stuck in the weeds leaves you with little time and energy to make the critical decisions that only managers and leaders can make. "The less time you spend micromanaging, the more time you have to 'MACRO-manage'!" they add.

4. Plan your life a year in advance.

In addition to your professional responsibilities, you also have personal obligations. At a minimum, this includes doctor's appointments, parent-teacher meetings, and vacations. If you don't add them to your schedule, you can expect conflicts.

Plus, with a little planning, you know what to expect, so you're prepared. Plus, it limits the number of decisions you have to make to save valuable energy. And it's an effective way to set and track goals.

But how far should you draw your timeline? In my opinion? Planning your life a year in advance wouldn't hurt.

I live and die on my schedule," Robert Herjavec of Shark Tank told CNBC's Make It. In order to accomplish this great feat, he plans always a year in advance.

“[It] allows me to manage my time and set priorities,” he explains. "It doesn't mean everything on the schedule has to be locked down, but it does give me an idea of ​​where I'm going to be and when so I can maximize my time."

For example, Herjavec told Entrepreneur that he would plan his children's activities a year in advance with school counselors. “Because of this, I have never missed a swim meet. I never missed a school play. I never missed anything,” he said.

Herjavec also keeps a calendar to stay organized every day. "The details, the memories are all still there," he said.