Let me say something that might sound weird at first:
You’re not short on time.
You’re just in the wrong relationship with it.

I know — it sounds like a line from a self-help book you didn’t ask to read.
But stick with me.

We all get the same 24 hours.
It’s not about having time — it’s about how you relate to it.

How you manage your time is one of the most underrated career superpowers out there.

A 2024 Microsoft study found the average employee is hit with 117 emails per day, not counting social notifications, Teams, texts, or your kid asking where their shoes are while you’re on mute during a meeting.

On top of that, a 2025 report from the Productivity Report reveals that quick switches away from your primary task could cost you more than 2 hours of distracted time.

And that's not per day—that's per switch!

So if you’ve been feeling like you’re always busy but nothing important is actually getting done?

You’re not crazy. You’re just in a reactive pattern.

And I want to help you get out of it.

The Irony of Time Management

Time management gets a bad rap.

People think it’s about apps or color-coded planners.

And while there is some truth to clearing the clutter of your day and getting organized, the real-time mastery

is about self-leadership.

It’s about having the dogged discipline to create space for strategy, clarity, rest, and showing up fully where it counts.

Here’s what the data says:

• People who manage their time well experience up to 25% higher productivity and 30% less stress. (ProofHub, 2024)

• Senior leaders spend nearly 31 hours a month in meetings, and 50% of that time is unproductive; many could have been replaced by an email. (AmbitionSaba, 2024)

• Poor time management and constant interruptions are major contributors to workplace burnout. (American Psychological Association, 2024)

• Multitasking reduces productivity by up to 40% and increases errors significantly. (American Psychological Association)

This isn’t just theory. These are numbers showing up in your calendar, your inbox, and your 10 pm second wind when you’re supposed to be winding down.

Why You Need To Address 3 Layers of Time 

I struggled with time for most of my adult life. Not enough of it, always too much to do, always behind, frequently overwhelmed.

I was secretly a bit proud of how busy I was. 

But no matter how many time management systems, planners, or gurus I focused on, nothing ever changed.

It wasn't until I got into coaching that I finally started to unpack the underlying reasons why time was such an issue in my life.  

I only focused on two of the three layers of time management.

Let me explain...

In 2018, author James Clear published a book titled Atomic Habits. If there are any habits in your life you want to change, this book is a must-read. 

One of the frameworks he shared for change is the circle graphic above. And at the center of this graphic is a very important word:

Identity

If you’ve ever thought time management is just about better apps or tighter calendars, you're probably in constant search for that extra hour and in the same boat as I was.

That's because real-time mastery starts deeper.

It's not just about your schedule. It's about how your mind, habits, and identity work together to either help you lead effectively or burn you out.

Here’s how I use this framework for time with my clients:

1. The Outcome Layer 

Most people start their day with "a lot to get done".

Sound familiar?

But before you even open your calendar, ask yourself:

What specific outcome(s) do I want this day (or week)?

Be specific. Quantify. 

Ask yourself, "If I got only 1 thing done today, what would give me the highest ROI?"

Then quantify that.

Don't just think "I need to get a new job."

Reverse engineer the outcome you're seeking.

➡️ Outcome = New job (or promo) by 12/31/25

➡️ Highest ROI work = Being visible with decision makers and networking.

➡️ Activity = Contact 5 people today and set up follow-up conversations.

Without a clear outcome, everything feels blurry. Blurry makes everything uncertain. An uncertain brain is not productive.  

This layer is all about being intentional and deciding where your energy is best spent, not just where it's being pulled.

2. The Process Layer

This is where the whole time management industry found its groove.

That's because people are always in search of a magic system that will fix all their time challenges.

If you are struggling with time management, it could mean you're ready for a process audit. 

Don't underestimate the importance of this second layer.

It’s not just about time blocking or batching. It’s about establishing (or revising) a process that matches how you work best.

Here's a best practice from one of my clients. I love this example because it's holistic and addresses all aspects needed for ultimate productivity:

➡️ Start the day with a grounding practice. This is an often-missed but super important first step because it sets the state of being needed to be calm, clear, and productive versus chaotic, distracted, or reactive.
➡️ Create the environment. No phone, no email, clear clutter from the desk, get the headphones and playlist dialed in, take a quick minute to visualize a successful and accomplished day. 
➡️ Clarify the Priority. Now that you're grounded and have set up the best environment, it's much easier to prioritize the most important actions today.
➡️ Delegate & Manage: What can you say 'no' to? Delete unimportant details from your list, delegate, and in some cases, let go of control. Ask who can do this work?

This is where you stop being a task juggler and start being a focused operator. Your calendar becomes a tool, not a trap. 

3. The Identity Layer

This is the layer no one talks about, and it's the biggest blind spot for most of us. 

It’s also the one that makes or breaks your consistency.

Here’s the brutal truth:

If you still believe you're someone who’s “bad with time” or “always behind,” those beliefs will sneak in and become your identity.

For real-time transformation to happen, you also need to transform your beliefs and who you want to be in relation to time.

And then prove it to yourself with small wins.

Maybe you're now thinking, "What do you mean, Julie?"

Yes, I know you're super busy, but pause for a sec. 

Ask yourself, "What's the narrative in my head around time?"

Then ask yourself, "Who do I need (or want) to be?"

I'll share a story to help illustrate this point.

My husband's family has owned a gorgeous vacation home on the San Juan Islands just off the Washington Coast since 1960. It's remote, serene, and an amazing place to escape.

But getting up there was a massive stressfest.

Being on an island means that the only means of transportation is a ferry. And the Washington State ferry system isn't exactly efficient. It's better now, but years back, it was a FIFO system for loading cars. The average ferry could transport 200 cars but inevitably there were 50 +/- cars that didn't make it in time and would have to wait an average of 3 hours for the next boat. And when you're in a car with restless small children, waiting another 3 hours was not at the top of the to-do list.

I would stress relentlessly about making the ferry on time. Frantic packing, corralling kids, bickering with my husband, worried I was forgetting something. 

Looking back, the relationship I had with time would've been described as chaotic. The narrative and identity I had at the time were

"We're (I'm) never going to make it."

There was a scarcity, a frenetic energy, and self-doubt underpinning every ferry trip. We usually did make the boat barely in time, but how I felt and how I showed up in the process was massively draining.  
 

And then, over time and my own increase in awareness, something changed. The new belief became 

"We've (I've) got this"

The trips up to Orcas Island became an adventure, and the ferry departure time became a fueled energy instead of a drain.

Here's how this concept can extend to the workplace: 

➡️ From I’m always overwhelmed → to I prioritize what matters.

➡️ From I never have time → to I get sh*t done and delegate the rest.

➡️ From I'm distracted → to I'm laser.

This isn’t fluff. It’s the inner narrative that drives your behavior.

You could have perfectly clear outcomes. And you could have the finest AI-driven process to help you manage time efficiently. But if you do not align your identity with productivity, everything will fall apart.

And that brings us to...

Einstein Time 

In this newsletter, I promised you that I'd be sharing a mindbending fix for time. Here's the twist to wrap your head around:

You are the source of time.

In his book The Big Leap, Gay Hendricks introduces the idea of Einstein versus Newtonian time.  

Newtonian:

• A finite, scarce amount
• Feeling of urgency, there’s never enough
• Time is “out there”, separate
• Time is the master, we are the slave or victim to it
• Identity: “I’m stressed”
• Language “I don’t have time”

When you say, “I don’t have time,” you’re unintentionally giving away your power and reinforcing the idea that time is something outside of you, something that controls you.

But when you say, “I am the source of time,” you reclaim control.

Einstein:

• An abundant amount of time
• Feeling of flow, there’s always enough
• You are the source of time
• Claim ownership, commit to the resolution of any conflict
• Identity: “I’m at ease”
• Language: “It (time) always works out”

It’s a subtle shift. But it’s massive.

You move from reacting… to creating.

You stop chasing your calendar… and start directing your energy.

The Real Enemies of Your Focus

Here’s what really drains your time and what to do about it:

1. Multitasking 

I get it. You think you’re being efficient by juggling emails while hopping on a call. But every time your brain switches gears, you lose big chunks of focus and energy.

You might feel efficient, but you’re losing 40% of your output. Multitasking splits your focus and drains your brain. (APA, 2024)

✅Fix: Batch tasks. Close tabs. Silence your phone. Give one thing your full presence. Build a process (see above) that serves you.

2. No Clear Priorities 

If everything feels urgent, then nothing really gets done well. You need a system to decide what actually moves the needle.

✅ Fix: Pick your 3 Most Important Tasks (MITs) every day. Finish those before you even look at your inbox.

3. Constant Interruptions

A 2024 study from UC Irvine showed workers get interrupted every 7.5 minutes and need 23 minutes to fully refocus. That’s like working blindfolded half the time.

Fix: Guard your “focus time” fiercely. Turn off notifications. Let your team know you’re not available during those windows.

Hire An AI Assistant

We have an abundance of support available today. When you need assistance with time management, planning, and improving your process, AI is here for the rescue. 

Here are some AI tools you can use to optimize your time:

For Planning + Task Management​

1. Sunsama 

• A daily planning tool that helps you organize your tasks, calendar, and focus areas in one clean workflow so you can stay aligned and intentional each day.
• Best for professionals who want structured daily planning with calendar and task integration. Loved by remote workers and high performers.​

  2. Notion AI 

• An AI-powered workspace extension in Notion that helps you write, summarize, brainstorm, and manage content more efficiently.

• Best for creators, solopreneurs, and teams who want flexible planning with knowledge management. Highly praised for custom workflows.​

For Time Awareness + Energy​

1. RescueTime 

• A time-tracking and productivity analytics tool that shows you where your time really goes, helping you identify distractions and improve focus.​

• Best for people who want automated time tracking and deep productivity insights. Popular among remote professionals and freelancers.

  2. Toggl 

• A simple yet powerful time-tracking app designed for individuals and teams to log hours, manage billable time, and gain insights into productivity.​

• Best for teams and individuals needing easy, manual time tracking with reporting. Appreciated for its simplicity and clean UI.

For Focus + Flow​

1. Brain.fm

• A music app backed by neuroscience that uses specially composed tracks to improve focus, relaxation, or sleep in minutes.​​

• Best for people with ADHD, students, and deep workers. Users say it helps them get into flow faster using science-backed soundtracks.​

  2. Serene

• A distraction-free focus app that combines goal setting, time blocking, and a minimalist design to help you do deep work without burnout.​​

• Best for solo workers and creatives who want a distraction-free focus ritual with timers and ambient sounds.

The Bottom Line

You’re not behind.

You’re not lazy.

And you don’t need more hours in the day.

You just need to upgrade your relationship with time.

And choose an identity or alter ego that relates to time in the way you want to.

I was working with a client on this. He'd defined meticulously clear outcomes. He knew exactly how he needed to spend his time.

And then I asked him, "Who do you need to be to consistently follow through on all of this?"

He paused. For a really long time. 

And then he said, "Oh my God. I know exactly who I need to be."

And he turned his camera over to one of the walls in his office and showed me a poster of martial arts legend, Bruce Lee.

THAT is a powerful identity where he can channel the character traits Bruce possessed and he needed:

1. Discipline
2. Confidence
3. Passionate
4. Innovative
5. Charismatic

This mindbending fix for time isn’t just productivity advice. It's how high performers protect their peace and make their biggest impact.

Weekly Edge

Here’s your simple challenge this week:

Pause: Stop for 60 seconds. Close your eyes. Take three deep breaths. Get centered. Let your body catch up.

Reframe: Ask yourself two questions, 1) “What's my highest ROI action today?” and 2) "What identity do I need to adopt today?" Write down your answers.

Act: Block 60 minutes on your calendar for your #1 MIT. Turn on Do Not Disturb. Start. Finish. Celebrate.

Then check in: How did your energy feel before vs. after?

Track these moments. They’re small, but they stack.

These small, consistent wins are the proof your brain needs to start changing how you relate to time.

Remember:

You’re not here to just get through the day.
You’re here to own it.

— Julie

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