15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management

“Time is life’s most valuable currency. Spend it wisely, as you can never earn it back once it's gone.” – Kevin Kruse

1. Time Is Your Greatest Asset

Time is irreplaceable, making it our most precious resource. Kevin Kruse emphasizes that each day contains 1,440 minutes, and how you use them defines your success and happiness. He suggests thinking in minutes instead of hours to grasp their worth.

Prioritizing tasks enables you to get the most out of your time. Identifying your MIT — Most Important Task — focuses your energy on what matters most. This is backed by research from Therese Macan, a professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, who found that setting priorities is a major driver of personal productivity.

As a practical step, Kruse advises creating visual reminders. For instance, he hung a “1,440” poster on his office door to remind himself of his daily time limit and motivate himself to spend it wisely.

Examples

• Use daily MITs to achieve big goals, like a CEO preparing to raise investment funds.
• A top executive hiring a programmer focuses her attention on this priority.
• Studies show that identifying priorities enhances focus and results in higher happiness levels.

2. Ditch Your To-Do List

To-do lists often add stress because they fail to specify timelines or priorities. Kruse reveals that 41% of tasks on to-do lists are left unfinished, leaving people overwhelmed and demotivated.

Instead, he suggests using a calendar to schedule every task, a technique known as time blocking. By assigning tasks to specific times, you can better organize your day and remove the mental clutter that comes from juggling priorities in your head.

Olympic gymnast Shannon Miller successfully used a detailed calendar to juggle school, training, family, and media responsibilities. Scheduling tasks ahead of time helped her achieve balance in the most demanding periods of her life.

Examples

• Olympic athlete Shannon Miller thrived under a planned schedule, accomplishing major goals.
• Shift workouts or errands to other time slots instead of skipping them.
• Blocking time for tasks leads to less anxiety and higher completion rates.

3. Overcome Procrastination by Imagining Your Future Self

Procrastination isn’t born from laziness — it’s tied to a lack of motivation. Kruse advocates visualizing what awaits you if you act versus the consequences of inaction.

By focusing on future benefits or harms, you can push past reluctance. For instance, think about the exhaustion of carrying extra weight if you avoid exercising or the satisfaction of feeling mentally sharp from completing work on time.

Accepting that there will always be challenges and tasks left undone is also freeing. Even former U.S. President George W. Bush followed this philosophy, prioritizing his passion for reading by finishing 95 books during his presidency.

Examples

• Imagine the consequences of avoiding tasks, such as poor health from skipping workouts.
• Stock your home with healthy snacks to avoid slipping into unhealthy eating.
• President Bush prioritized his mental rejuvenation over an unattainable to-do list.

4. Capture Ideas On The Spot

Great ideas often arrive at random moments. Kruse stresses the power of always having a notebook ready for jotting down thoughts. Writing by hand improves memory and makes ideas feel more tangible.

Virgin Group founder Richard Branson credits his business empire to his trusty notebook. On one occasion, when no notebook was available, he scribbled an idea in his passport to ensure it wasn’t forgotten.

Writing ideas and tasks also clears mental space, allowing you to focus on your work. Research shows that handwritten notes even outperform typing when it comes to retention and comprehension.

Examples

• Richard Branson wrote business ideas on his passport when needed.
• Students who handwrite lecture notes recall content more effectively.
• Keeping a journal prevents important thoughts from vanishing.

5. Don’t Let Email Dictate Your Day

Email is a time trap, often taking over your schedule. Kruse points out that checking email frequently wastes time due to its addictive nature and unpredictability.

He proposes the 321-Zero system: check your inbox three times daily, limit each check to 21 minutes, and aim for zero unread messages. Additionally, tools like unroll.me simplify this by removing unwanted clutter such as newsletters.

This practice not only saves time but also fosters focus, letting you dedicate energy to what matters most.

Examples

• Use unroll.me to reduce inbox clutter.
• Limit email checks to 21 minutes using the 321-Zero system.
• Treat email as a tool, not the master of your schedule, for improved concentration.

6. Reclaim Your Time by Saying No

Saying yes to everything often leads to burnout. Kruse reminds readers that every “yes” you give comes at the expense of something else.

Learning to say no, especially to invites and commitments that drain your time and energy, is an underrated skill. Olympic rower Sara Hendershot applied this strategy to prepare for the 2012 London Olympics, allowing her to focus on training.

Research confirms that people who decline unnecessary obligations have more energy and report higher satisfaction levels.

Examples

• Olympic rower Sara Hendershot stayed focused by saying no to distractions.
• Declining inefficient meetings protects time for important projects.
• Successful people equate saying yes with sacrificing their personal priorities.

7. Apply the 80/20 Rule

The Pareto Principle (80/20 rule) teaches us that a small portion of efforts often generates the most results. By identifying and focusing on the critical 20%, you can maximize outcomes.

For instance, spend most of your effort boosting high-performing employees or dedicating time to activities that yield the best returns. This strategy helps you focus attention where it really counts, avoiding unproductive busywork.

Leaders and entrepreneurs like Warren Buffett regularly use this principle to cut back on commitments to prioritize the most impactful ones.

Examples

• Use the 80/20 rule to discover the most valuable tasks in your work week.
• Focus resources on the top-performing 20% of employees.
• Apply this principle to personal tasks, such as reducing errands that provide minimal return.

8. Theme Your Days for Better Focus

Grouping similar tasks or assigning themes to your days simplifies decision-making and improves productivity. Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, for example, devoted specific days to management, marketing, or strategy, focusing each day on one domain.

The entrepreneurship coach Dan Sullivan extends this by categorizing days as focus days (high-impact activities), buffer days (catch-up or planning), and free days (personal time without work). This division fosters balance and clarity.

Theming prioritizes activities, ensuring quicker progress and preventing the scatterbrained feeling of juggling unrelated tasks.

Examples

• Jack Dorsey themed weekdays for specific company tasks at Twitter and Square.
• Entrepreneurs use focus days to tackle high-value actions like growing revenue.
• Buffer days streamline minor errands, leaving space for creative tasks.

9. Boost Energy with Routines

Kruse emphasizes that productivity comes from energy and attention, not just time. A morning routine sets the stage for a successful day by nourishing mind, body, and soul.

Author Dan Miller dedicates his first $60 minutes to meditation, exercise, and inspirational learning, while Shawn Stevenson kickstarts his day with water to detox and energize. Techniques like the Pomodoro Technique further enhance focus by structuring work into productive 25-minute sessions with small breaks.

These habits optimize energy management, making it easier to achieve your goals steadily throughout the day.

Examples

• Drink water in the morning to refresh your body, like Shawn Stevenson.
• Use “Pomodoro sprints” for focused, distraction-free work.
• Start the day with inspiring activities, as Dan Miller does.

Takeaways

1. Plan your daily schedule by blocking time on a calendar for your most impactful tasks rather than relying on a to-do list.
2. Start your morning with an energizing routine that prioritizes calm, gratitude, and movement.
3. Use the 80/20 rule to identify your high-impact tasks or activities and focus your energy on these areas to maximize results.