Your calendar isn’t just for meetings – it is one of your key strategic tools. When it’s managed well, it supports your focus and protects your energy.
The start of the year is a perfect time to upgrade how you use it. Here are five simple ways.
1. Update your fixed commitments (90+ days ahead)
Start with:
· Key work deadlines, travel and events
· Personal commitments that affect your workday
· Holidays.
Yes, this may mean checking other systems or family calendars. But when everything lives in one place, planning and prioritising become far easier.
2. Schedule focus time
Block focus time at least three days a week, and for the next 90+ days. Researchers call it The Quiet Protocol, and it can lift productivity by up to 73%.
Also, schedule a regular strategy meeting with yourself. Weekly, fortnightly, or monthly. This is your time to review priorities, identify bottlenecks, and strategically course correct.
3. Audit your meetings
Research shows that employee productivity is higher when meetings are reduced!
Meetings have a habit of staying long after their value has gone. Review recurring meetings and cancel what you can.
Convert status updates to email or dashboards where possible. Despite best intentions, these meetings rarely build trust or create momentum.
Shorten what remains:
· 30 minutes → 20 or 25
· 60 minutes → 45 or 50
Saving just 20 minutes a day adds up to two full working weeks a year.
Check out this HBR article: Dear Manager, You’re Holding Too Many Meetings
4. Batch meetings
Where possible, schedule meetings in batches.
Scattered meetings fragment your focus and slow you down. Research shows we are less productive in the hour before a meeting.
If your team needs frequent access to you, set office hours. Choose a daily window (for example, 11:45 am – 1:00 pm) and make it known. This supports collaboration while protecting focus.
5. Use colour intentionally
Colour-coding your calendar creates instant insight. Most people do best with three to seven categories. Try different colours for meetings, focused work, travel and events, and personal commitments.
Here’s to focused, organised calendars that energise!
P.S. Mastering Meetings is one of my popular in-house masterclasses. Better meetings don’t just save time. They lift focus, clarity, and everyday productivity. EMAIL for more information.
