Taking Back Your Time: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Owning Your Calendar
As an entrepreneur, there’s one resource we never seem to have enough of: time. Early in my career, I fell into a common trap—accepting every meeting that came my way with the hope that it might lead to something. A partnership, a big deal, a new client… you name it. I believed that the more conversations I had, the more opportunities would materialize. What I didn’t realize was that my calendar, cluttered with endless calls and meetings, was robbing me of my most valuable resource: focus.
In hindsight, I wasn’t just trading time for potential opportunities; I was trading my ability to execute on my own mission. And here’s the harsh truth—most of those meetings didn’t lead anywhere. What they did do was drain my energy, scatter my focus, and prevent me from moving forward on the things that truly mattered.
Learning to Say “No” to Say “Yes” to Yourself
The shift didn’t happen overnight. I started noticing a pattern: the meetings that drove real results were with paying clients or those directly aligned with my goals. The rest? They were comfort meetings. Meetings where someone wanted to “pick my brain” or talk through a problem they could easily solve themselves. I realized that every hour I gave away was an hour stolen from my mission and my team.
So, I did something radical. I cleaned up my calendar. I deleted all non-essential meetings and told people they’d need to fight for why those meetings should be on my calendar at all. It was uncomfortable at first. People pushed back. But over time, it became abundantly clear: when you protect your time, you protect your mission.
The Calendar Reset Challenge
It’s the start of a new year, and there’s no better time to take control of your time. I’m challenging you to clean up your calendar. Here’s how:
Delete Every Non-Essential Meeting: Take a hard look at your calendar. Delete any meeting that doesn’t directly align with your mission or add value to your business. Be ruthless.
Ask for Justification: For the meetings you’re on the fence about, ask the other party to justify why the meeting is necessary. What’s the purpose? What’s the outcome? Can it be solved via email instead?
Prioritize Paying Clients: If a client pays you money, their meetings stay. But for everyone else—the “let’s explore” and “potential partnership” conversations—put the ball in their court to prove why the meeting matters.
Empower Your Team: Many meetings are simply a way for people to feel comforted. Teach your team to solve issues themselves rather than defaulting to scheduling a meeting with you. Create systems and frameworks they can use to make decisions without needing your constant input.
The Results of Owning Your Time
Since I made the shift, I’ve experienced a level of clarity and focus I never thought possible. I’ve been able to double down on the initiatives that drive real growth and impact. My team feels more empowered to take ownership of their work. And perhaps most importantly, I’ve reclaimed my personal time, which has made me a better leader, partner, and parent.
By taking back your time, you’re not just protecting your calendar. You’re protecting your energy, your focus, and your ability to execute on what truly matters. So, I challenge you: reset your calendar. Clean it up. And don’t let anyone steal your time without a fight. Let’s make this the year we all work smarter, not harder, and stay laser-focused on our missions.
Your time is your most valuable resource. Guard it fiercely.