What is CEO Time? And Why It Matters More Than You Think
It’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of running a business — juggling clients, chasing payments, replying to emails, posting to socials, managing systems, and everything in between. But here’s a simple question that can shift everything:
Are you leading your business, or just keeping it running?
CEO time is the space you intentionally carve out to lead. It’s when you pause the busy work, zoom out, and start making strategic decisions that move your business forward.
It looks like:
Reviewing your offers or refining your services
Setting goals and planning for future growth
Streamlining systems and improving client experience
Building partnerships and visibility
Focusing on what only you can do
But when you’re stuck doing it all — admin, bookings, emails, payments, customer follow-ups — there’s little time left to think big. That’s where the balance needs to shift.
Tips for Balancing CEO Time and Business Time
If you want to move from survival mode to sustainable growth, you need both: time to do the work, and time to lead it. Here’s how to create that space:
Schedule CEO Time Like You Would a Client Meeting
Block out a regular time in your calendar — weekly, fortnightly, or monthly — that’s purely for CEO tasks. Treat it like an unmissable appointment. This is your space to check in on progress, adjust goals, brainstorm ideas, or assess what’s working.
Track Where Your Time Actually Goes
Spend a few days noting how you spend your time. You’ll likely be surprised by how much goes into tasks that aren’t the best use of your skills. This is key insight for deciding what to delegate.
Know the Value of Your Time
If you’re charging out at $150/hour but spending two hours a day on admin that someone else could do more efficiently, that’s not a smart use of your time. Outsourcing allows you to stay focused on the work that delivers the most impact.
Start Small With Outsourcing
You don’t have to hand over everything. Start with time-consuming, repeatable tasks like inbox management, invoicing, scheduling, or content posting. A skilled support person can often do these tasks faster and more accurately — because it’s what they do, day in and day out.
Outsourcing Isn’t Just a Time Saver — It’s a Growth Strategy
When you hand off the tasks that drain your time, energy, or headspace, you free yourself up to focus on what matters: your vision, your strategy, your clients. That’s where the real growth happens.
Final Thought
Both CEO time and doing the work are essential. But if you never make time to lead, your business will always be stuck reacting — instead of evolving.
Start with small changes. Schedule the time. Delegate the distractions. And give yourself permission to step fully into your CEO role.
Because you didn’t build this business to be your own bottleneck.
