Why time management isn’t the real game

Why Time Management Isn’t The Real Game

Hey there!

This morning I sat staring at my calendar, full of carefully blocked-out hours. Everything looked neat and organized. The problem? My energy was already in the tank.

That got me thinking. Time management is great, but it only works if your energy matches the schedule. If you are running on fumes, it does not matter how beautifully you’ve organized your day—you will limp through it.

I learned this the hard way. Back when I was working in the factory, I used to count the hours left on my shift like a prisoner scratching marks on a wall. Twelve hours of time on the clock did not mean twelve hours of productivity. Half of it was me drained, just going through the motions.

Now as an entrepreneur, I still catch myself doing the same thing. I’ll plan a four-hour block for content, calls, or strategy, but if I show up already exhausted, that time gets wasted. What I have come to realize is this: it is not about managing time, it is about managing energy.

Here are three things that help me:

1. Do the hardest work when your energy is highest. For me, that is the morning after a workout and coffee. I block creative and strategic work here, not errands.
2. Notice what drains you. Some tasks steal energy no matter what. If it is repetitive or admin-heavy, I hand it to my VA or automate it.
3. Schedule recovery. Walks, workouts, reading, even just sitting in silence. Recovery is not lost time—it is what fuels the rest of your day.

When you manage energy first, time takes care of itself. You stop burning out, you start showing up sharper, and the hours you do work are ten times more effective.

So today, ask yourself: am I really managing my time, or am I managing my energy? One gives you a schedule. The other gives you results.

Til tomorrow,

Ryan

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