Time Management for Leaders: How to Prioritize, Plan, and Protect Your Time Without Burning Out
Episode 28
Have you ever ended a workday feeling exhausted—but still wondering where your time actually went?
In episode 28 of The People Success Circle, we dig into the heart of time management for leaders and why traditional productivity advice often falls short in today’s workplaces. I’m joined by time-management expert Samantha Lane, who shares practical tools, mindset shifts, and habits that help leaders move from constant busyness to intentional, effective action.
Read on—or tune in—to learn simple strategies you can use this week to create more clarity, balance, and impact.
In this practical episode of The People Success Circle, time management expert Samantha Lane joins me to rethink time management for leaders and share a simple, human-centered framework for creating more balance, focus, and impact at work.
How Samantha’s journey as a “recovered workaholic” reshaped her approach to time management for leaders.
Her simple three-part framework—prioritize, plan, protect—and why it’s one of the most practical time management strategies for leaders.
Why clear alignment on what truly matters drives effective prioritization and planning across any team.
The impact of a consistent weekly planning routine in reducing reactivity and improving focus and follow-through.
Samantha’s perspective on energy management at work and working with—rather than against—your natural rhythms.
The common organizational pitfalls that drain productivity and how shifting them can start reducing burnout in employees.
🎧 Tune in to this episode of The People Success Circle to learn how to rethink time in a way that supports both performance and a healthier work life.
🔗 Helpful Links
🌐 Mindy’s website for business consulting: https://www.limerockcareerco.com
🎧 Listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts
Episode 28: Watch or Listen
Key Takeaways From Episode 28
Rethinking Our Relationship With Time
Samantha’s journey as a “recovered workaholic” is a powerful reminder that how we manage our time directly affects our well-being. As leaders, it’s easy to fall into doing more at the expense of what matters most. This episode encourages us to approach time management for leaders with intentionality, not urgency.
Prioritization Before Productivity
A key shift we discussed is the difference between efficiency and effectiveness. Productivity isn’t about doing everything—it’s about doing the right things. Clear prioritization and planning, aligned across the organization, reduces ambiguity and helps our teams focus on work that truly drives impact.Mentorship as a Confidence Builder
Having a mentor at the workplace can change the trajectory of someone’s career. A good mentor helps people see their potential and step into bigger opportunities they may not recognize on their own. I encourage every leader to both seek mentorship and offer it.
The Power of a Weekly Planning Routine
A consistent weekly planning routine can dramatically improve how we show up each week. Taking time to close loops, map out priorities, and plan proactively reduces reactivity and builds confidence—for leaders and employees alike.
Protecting the Plan
Samantha’s “prioritize, plan, protect” framework highlights a missing step for many leaders. We may plan well, but we rarely protect those plans. Being thoughtful about when to say yes, no, or not now helps create healthier work habits and better follow-through.
Energy Management at Work
Samantha also reminded us that energy management at work is as important as time management. Honoring our natural rhythms and understanding how we personally recharge leads to more sustainable performance—for ourselves and our teams.
Addressing Organizational Pitfalls
Many organizations struggle with competing priorities, constant urgency, and short-term thinking. These patterns overwhelm teams and contribute to burnout. Leaders who address these issues directly take important steps toward reducing burnout in employees and building a healthier culture.
🎧 Want more insights and practical tools?
Listen to the full episode of The People Success Circle for the detailed conversation.
Read the full transcript
Mindy:
Welcome to this week's episode of The People Success Circle podcast. I'm so excited to have my friend and fellow speaker, Samantha Lane, here today. Samantha is an expert in time management, and I am thrilled she’s going to share her expertise with all of my listeners. Welcome, Samantha.
Samantha:
Thank you for having me, Mindy. I’m thrilled to talk with you.
Mindy:
This topic is such an important part of what we discuss on this podcast. People Success isn’t just about what companies do — individuals also have to make intentional decisions about how they manage themselves and how they show up at work. That’s why your expertise is such a perfect crossover: what individuals can do for their own time management, and what companies can do to support employees.
Samantha:
Absolutely. Time is one of the few things we all share, regardless of our role or industry. It touches every part of work and life.
Mindy:
For sure. And you probably know this: wellbeing is at an all-time low. Gallup says that in 2025, only 32% of employees in the U.S. say they’re “well.” When you think about what impacts wellbeing, how we manage our time — and how we’re pulled in so many directions — is absolutely one of those critical factors. So I’m glad we’re diving in.
Samantha:
Yeah, me too.
Mindy:
I’d love for my listeners to hear your story. You call yourself a “recovered workaholic.” What prompted you to make the shift to become an expert in time management?
Samantha:
I think I used to be part of that 32% — I was not well. I got things done at work, but at the detriment of myself. I deferred so much of my life because I “didn’t have time.”
Then in 2014, I had a major chest surgery. Doctors found a chest wall deformity and told me my sternum was sitting on my heart. They said I’d be out of work for four weeks. But when I should have returned, I wasn’t even cleared to drive. I eventually lost the ability to use my left arm and had a staph infection. I was out for four months.
It was a wild experience, but a blessing in disguise. It shook me awake. I realized I was managing my time wrong. I assumed I had an infinite future — but time is finite. That changed everything and set me on the path to being more present and truly valuing my time.
Mindy:
I’m so sorry you went through that. What were you doing before the surgery, and how did you make the pivot?
Samantha:
I started in the creative industry — marketing, PR, ad agencies, production companies. It’s the mecca of imbalance and workaholism. I eventually pivoted into higher education, helping adult students go back to school. I loved the work, but it was a lifestyle role — no strict 8–5 — which made it easy to overwork.
After my surgery, I realized I needed to prioritize differently. Not just what mattered at home, but what actually mattered at work. I needed to understand which tasks were truly important.
But I still had to work — we all need to eat and have shelter — so I couldn’t just stop. That’s what led me toward planning. Once I knew what mattered, I needed to allocate my finite time accordingly. That’s what eventually became my business.
Mindy:
Did you stay in higher education for a while?
Samantha:
Yes, until 2017. I created solutions for myself, and eventually people around me wanted them, too — including my supervisor. One of the tools I created became the cornerstone product of my business. When I said I wanted to try this full-time, my team was incredibly supportive.
Mindy:
What were the first things you put in place to start managing your time differently?
Samantha:
I eventually developed a three-part framework: Prioritize, Plan, Protect.
The first part was prioritizing. Every week I checked in with my boss: “These are my top three. Does this align with what’s most important?” That alignment was key.
The second part was planning. Every Friday before our team meeting, I mapped out the following week — closing loops, scheduling, allocating time. Weekly planning changed my life. It’s the single most effective thing I teach.
Mindy:
Yes — the clarity those check-ins create is game-changing. And anyone can initiate them, even if their supervisor doesn’t schedule formal one-on-ones.
Samantha:
Exactly. And another big shift was understanding the difference between efficiency and effectiveness. Efficiency is doing things faster. Effectiveness is doing the right things efficiently. That’s where real time management lives.
Mindy:
Many people assume being more productive means working more. How do you help people shift from busyness to true balance?
Samantha:
A lot of us have spent our whole lives managing time the way we currently do. But if you’re overwhelmed or unhappy with how you’re spending your time, you have to unlearn outdated methods and replace them with modern habits.
Time management evolves — we need to evolve with it.
When we start by knowing what’s important, we stop measuring our value in hours and start measuring impact.
Mindy:
I love that. And we live in a hyper-connected world. Having clear priorities makes it easier to know where your time should go.
Samantha:
Exactly. Time is one way to measure impact, but not the only way. If you create an impactful deliverable in 30 minutes because you’ve optimized your process, that shouldn’t be diminished. It’s not about running out the clock — it’s about impact.
Mindy:
That’s so good. You’ve said you want people to be both present and productive. What practices help with that?
Samantha:
I’ve observed a lot over the years. People want the same thing: a good day at work and to make it home in time for dinner.
The people who achieve that have a simple formula: mindset + habits.
Mindset is what’s happening between your ears. Habits are what your body does every day. They have to support each other. Some people need mindset work. Some need habit work. Most need both.
Mindy:
That reminds me of an early interview I had with a mindfulness coach — she talked about the power of monotasking. Focused attention is so much more effective than multitasking.
Samantha:
Absolutely. Our brains can’t focus on two high-concentration tasks at once. You can pair a low-concentration activity — like walking — with a high-concentration one, like listening to a podcast. But not two high-concentration tasks.
A big part of time management is actually energy management. We all have natural rhythms — peaks, troughs, and sometimes rebounds. We also have introversion/extroversion tendencies that affect how we recharge. I’m an extrovert, so stimulation recharges me. That’s why I dance on my lunch break.
You wouldn’t run your phone all day without charging it. But we do that to ourselves constantly.
Mindy:
So true. And I love that you acknowledge individuality — what works for one person doesn’t work for another.
Samantha:
Exactly. There’s no one-size-fits-all in time management. We have to understand who we are and respect how we work best.
Mindy:
Earlier you mentioned three P’s. We covered prioritizing and planning. Tell us about the third one.
Samantha:
The third P is Protect. Know what’s important. Make a plan. Then protect that plan.
I discovered it the day my boss asked me to handle a walk-in. I had finished everything for the day and needed to leave early for my nephew’s cross-country meet. Without thinking, I said “No.” She immediately said, “Okay, I’ll have someone else do it.”
I realized in that moment: I have to protect my plan. Plans change — that’s life — but we should decide when and why they change. Not default to saying yes to everything.
Mindy:
And sometimes we assume we have to say yes to our boss, but often simply talking about it opens up other options.
Samantha:
Exactly. So much urgency is false urgency. A simple conversation clears it up.
Mindy:
Let’s talk about the organizations you work with. What are the most common pitfalls you see?
Samantha:
Across the board, the same three issues show up:
Lack of cohesive clarity. Competing priorities. No unified rally cry.
Not planning far enough ahead. Too much reactivity, not enough long-term planning.
Too many urgent-but-not-important tasks. People are distracted by what’s loud, not what matters.
Mindy:
If someone listening is overwhelmed and doesn’t know where to start, what’s the very first step?
Samantha:
Weekly planning. Hands down. Even if you lose the plan later, the act of calibrating your week is life-changing.
Mindy:
Yes — when my husband and I do this for our family, the entire week runs smoother.
Samantha:
Exactly. It’s the most impactful thing you can do.
Mindy:
For leaders and managers, what’s one thing they can do to support better time management?
Samantha:
Implement the three P’s with your team:
– Create unified priorities.
– Build a culture that values weekly planning.
– Teach and model how to protect the plan.
Then communicate it clearly so everyone understands expectations.
Mindy:
Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom today. I know this is going to help so many people.
Samantha:
Thank you for having me.
Mindy:
If this episode resonated with you, please leave a five-star review — and more importantly, share it with a friend or coworker who could benefit. I’ll see you next week on The People Success Circle.
