You know that feeling when you log on in the morning, and before you’ve even had your first sip of coffee, the Slack pings start rolling in? Then the emails, the DMs… It’s like a digital avalanche.
I recently spoke with someone with over 2800 unread emails in her inbox. Two thousand, eight hundred! It’s almost funny, except it’s not. And that’s what so many leaders are up against.
Hours wading through notifications, before you’ve even glanced at your priorities. Soon, the day feels like it’s running you, instead of the other way around.
In this episode, you’ll get a simple way to carve out time for what really matters, even when everything feels urgent and you’re being pulled in a hundred directions. Time to make space for what counts, and maybe, just maybe, finish your coffee while it’s still warm.
Why Ops Executives Struggle to Find Focus
Let’s just call it like it is: Most days, it feels like you barely get to breathe before the requests and questions start flying in. You’re juggling meetings, sorting through endless notifications, and somewhere in there, you’re supposed to actually get your real work done.
When things are moving so fast, maybe the company’s changing direction, or you’re rolling out a new tool—it just gets even louder and more overwhelming.
That’s not a sign you’re doing something wrong. If anything, it means you’re the one everyone turns to when things get complicated. That’s what I love about working with ops leaders. You’re the glue. You keep things together, even when it’s messy.
But here’s what I see over and over: trying to do everything, or thinking you have to do everything, all at once, just leaves you drained. So, let’s try something different.
The One-Thing Rule: A Simple Way to Reclaim Your Time
Before you dive into the digital ocean of chaos, block off 30 minutes, just for the one thing that matters most today. Not the thing that’s yelling the loudest, not the thing that’s easiest to check off. The one thing that, if you get it done, you’ll actually feel better about your day.
And that “one thing” can look different every day. Maybe it’s finally finishing that project brief. Maybe it’s a tough conversation you’ve been putting off. Or it could be reviewing a new process that’ll save your team hours down the road. Sometimes it’s even just making space to think through a problem without interruptions.
How to Protect Time for What Matters Most
Whatever it is, mute your notifications. Put on headphones. Let your team know you’re heads-down for a bit. If someone tries to pull you away, train yourself that it’s okay to say, “Hey, I’ll circle back in half an hour.”
Now, I’ll be honest: picking that one thing is tough. Sometimes it’s clear, sometimes it’s not. And yeah, you’ll probably guess wrong once in a while. That’s normal. Some things just won’t get done today, and that’s okay.
The goal isn’t to clear your whole list. It’s to make sure you’re spending time on what’s actually important. Then, when your day wraps up, take a minute and check in with yourself. Did you get to that one thing? If yes, that’s a win. If not, don’t beat yourself up. You get another shot tomorrow. Be kind to yourself. This is a work in progress, not a test.
Give Yourself Credit: Progress Over Perfection
A very dear colleague once left a printout taped to my monitor that said, “You are allowed to be both a masterpiece and a work in progress, simultaneously.” I’ll be honest, this thought gave me some breathing room and it still does. Maybe it’ll give you some too.
So, here’s your question for the day: What’s your most important task tomorrow, and when are you going to protect time for it?
You’re doing more than you think, and you deserve some credit for it. Protect your time, trust yourself, and hey, I hope that tomorrow you’ll get to drink your coffee while it’s still warm. So, give this a try, and let me know how it goes.
Ready for Support? Let’s Connect
And if you’d like a sounding board to help you get out of reaction mode and back in control, head over to yourfuturerealized.com/VIP. I’d love to hear what you’re working on.
You can’t stop the chaos, but you can change the game.