Let’s talk about time savers, but not in the way you might expect. If you’re here for color-coded calendars, Pomodoro hacks, or a list of “5 productivity tools that changed my life,” this post is probably not for you. I’m not anti-time management. I’m just not a fan of spending too much time managing time.

I’ve found that for me, trying to optimize every minute of the day can be exhausting, and ironically, a massive time suck. I’d rather make quick decisions (though, of course, that is not always feasible or advisable), knock out an unenjoyable task, act with intention, and trust that if we get something wrong, we can course-correct. It’s not about being reckless. It’s about being efficiently decisive.

A few of my favorite counterintuitive time savers:

Say yes to the 30-minute meeting (sometimes)

If a meeting has clear outcomes, I’d rather attend than spend 30 minutes crafting messages in an attempt to get out of it.. “Can we do this asynchronously in Slack?” Sure, sometimes. But if the meeting will unblock a project, move a decision forward, or allow for rapid alignment, let’s just get in and get it done.

Do the quick thing now

If something takes two minutes (or even ten), I’ll usually just knock it out. The mental energy of tracking it, rescheduling it, or “prioritizing it later” often takes more time than simply doing the task.

Good enough is sometimes perfect

Not everything needs to be optimized, reworked, or run through another round of revisions. Perfectionism masquerades as productivity, but it rarely delivers the same results. I’ll take ‘done’ over perfect most of the time.

Block off time, and then honor it

While I don’t spend hours planning my schedule, I do block off chunks of time for heads-down work. No meetings, no pings, just focused progress. It helps me protect my energy and avoid the context-switching tax that can eat up a day. Confession: this is still an area that I need to improve in.

Don’t overcomplicate the system

Fancy task apps, automated workflows, and time-blocking templates are great if they work for you. But if you’re spending more time tweaking the system than using it, it’s time to simplify. A plain old checklist and calendar might just do the trick

Know what actually matters

Time management shouldn’t be a full-time job. For me, it’s about clarity: What do I actually want to get done today? What’s the real priority? I’d rather spend five minutes answering that than fifty minutes rearranging my to-do list.

In the end, the best time savers aren’t about tricks or hacks. They’re about doing what works for you, and in my case, I’d rather use my time than manage it. 

I’d love to hear your take. What time savers feel surprisingly right for you, even if they go against the usual advice?”