Boss Jeff Author

How to allocate free time in your work schedule for creativity and strategic planning

How do you spend your free time on weekdays when you're not in meetings or checking hundreds of useless emails? Sociologists from the Executive Time Use Project recently studied the habits of 94 CEOs of Italian corporations and asked them to record all the activities to which top managers devote more than 15 minutes a day. It turned out that 60% of the time is spent on meetings, 25% on calls and other events, and only 15% on rest.

Lack of free time is a serious problem for any working person. In the office there is no time to escape from the daily information chaos in order to reflect and redirect efforts towards strategic decisions. The human brain needs time to recharge, and if you spend the whole day pounding on a keyboard and running from meeting to meeting, you will quickly use up all your energy.

The point of scheduling rest periods into your work schedule is to engage in non-routine activities, add novelty to a predictable schedule, and focus on what matters most.

Five ways to find free time to “reboot” and be creative during the workday - in the Forbes gallery.

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Build free time into your schedule

Set aside time each day to be alone and focus on what matters. This will allow you to stimulate your imagination and make time for what's important to you: physical training, meetings with employees, or strategic tasks.

Think for a moment about how an artist uses such time periods to find inspiration. Leonardo Vinci spent his money throwing paint-soaked sponges at the wall and then trying to find meaning in the resulting painting. I'm not suggesting creating a messy office, but if you create new environments, it can lead to new ideas, and new ideas lead to new solutions. If Da Vinci locked himself in his office and stared at his computer all day, how many ideas do you think would come to his mind?

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Download the RescueTime app

This app studies your daily computer habits. This way, you can see what you need to focus on and what to change to get the most out of it. You can set notifications to limit your time reading email or Facebook. Moreover, the application can count the time you spend on services. Remember: what can be measured can be improved.

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Enter mode

Create a predictable schedule that allows you to do the things that matter most. For example, I set my alarm for 5 a.m. to write important emails and exercise before heading to work at 8:30 a.m. (or before my two-year-old son wakes up and begins his morning reign of “terror”). The predictability of the schedule eliminates any worry about me not completing my tasks.

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Say no

It’s as simple as that: learn to say “no.” Too many “yes” is easier because everyone wants to appear nice and kind, and “no” is the antithesis of approval. But if you make decisions that people working under your subordinates can make, then you are simply doing someone else's work.

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Try the Pomodoro Method

This time management technique was invented by Italian Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. The main idea is that taking frequent breaks from work can improve brain function. It looks like this: work intensely for 25 minutes, then take a break for 3-5 minutes. Repeat this cycle three more times, and then rest for 15-30 minutes. The goal is to maintain mental clarity and avoid fatigue from concentrated activity.

Leaders create value for others based on the priorities they choose to spend their time on, and spending time on themselves is just as important. Without gaps in your schedule, your personal growth is limited. Plan your time wisely.

Build free time into your schedule

Download the RescueTime app

Enter mode

Say no

Try the Pomodoro Method

For the sake of freedom: 5 effective tips on where to find time