Zach Mathews’ Post

Have you ever reached the end of the day, only to realize that despite being on your computer for hours, you can’t identify any significant progress you made? I used to feel like time was always slipping through my fingers. I’d start the day with a long to-do list, only to feel overwhelmed by the afternoon, jumping from one task to the next without making real progress. Then, I took a course and one of the topics was "time-blocking", and everything changed. Now, instead of letting the clock run my life, I control it. I'll share with you how it: 1. I start each day by blocking off the first 2 hours for my biggest, most important task. Once I tackle that, the rest of the tasks gets done easily. 2. Instead of jumping from emails to meetings to research, I group all my similar tasks together. It saves time when you're not constantly switching from one task to another. 3.Breaks. Yes, I block time for breaks! Rest should not be an afterthought. Taking breaks helps me recharge my energy and keep my mind sharp for the next round of tasks. These small adjustments have made a huge difference in my productivity. I’m no longer rushing through the day, I’m making the day work for me. How do you ensure you stay on track with tasks?

Non-negotiable time blocking tip using a 2 hour block as the example. Set out a "Must Do" task list for the first hour and an "Ideal Plus" task for the second hour. The "Must Do" are your obligations, there's no getting around that these things have to get done and are pivotal for your business. This could be calls, research, emails, contract send outs, qualifying, etc. Your "Ideal Plus" can be the new, innovative ideas, the could-be-game-changers, personal/professional learning and growth time investment, the feed the soul that can also feed the productivity, etc. Rule: Set the timer. You have to complete the hour. Full focus. You might be killing it with your "Must Do's", or it may be a rough go, either way you have to make the hour. Why? Enhanced productivity. Does your first hour goes great? You ride the momentum into your second hour of "Ideal Plus" which already has your passionate interest. Does your first hour stagnate? You pivot and reset into your "Ideal Plus". Vital: The 10 minute review (So I guess this is the 2 hour and 10 minute time block). Audit the past two hours. What worked? What didn't? How did it promote your business forward? Look at your activities as investments. Compound the interest of what is working. Get rid of what isn't working and invest in new ideas that could provide the right ROI on your time. Happy Friday!

Feeling overwhelmed by a never-ending to-do list? I used to let my schedule control me—until I discovered time blocking. Here’s the truth: Constantly switching between tasks leads to burnout. Time blocking helps you take charge of your day instead of letting your day take charge of you. ___ Here’s why it works: 🔹 Focused Productivity: Set specific blocks of time for particular tasks. 🔹 Reduced Stress: Knowing what you’ll work on and when cuts down the anxiety of a chaotic schedule. 🔹 Improved Quality: Give your full attention to each task, boosting the quality of your work. 🔹 Energy Management: Align your most challenging tasks with your peak energy levels to maximize efficiency. 🔹 Balance and Boundaries: Protect time for breaks and personal activities, preventing burnout. ___ How to Get Started: ↳Identify Priorities: Determine your most important tasks for the day. ↳Allocate Time Blocks: Schedule dedicated periods for certain types of tasks. For example, Tuesdays can be for client calls, and Thursday evenings for writing content. ↳Stick to the Plan: Honor your time blocks and avoid distractions. ↳Review and Adjust: Assess what worked and make necessary tweaks. What will you time block for this week? Share below! 👇 ___ ♻️ Found this valuable? Repost if this resonates with you. 🔔 Follow me Hetali Mehta, for more content like this.

We live in a world that’s full of distractions so managing your time effectively is paramount in your personal and professional lives. So, what strategies can you use when it comes to prioritising the work you need to do? The number one place to start is with lists - this can be where you can dump all of the information and jobs flitting around in your brain down onto paper and start to prioritise them starting with the most important and go from there. Eat that frog. Do the worst job first. The one you’ve been putting off for ages - dig deep and get it done and then you can focus on the more enjoyable tasks and you’ll feel much better for it too, like a weight has been lifted. If the idea of a monstrous to-do list is a bit overwhelming, you can use the ‘Most Important Task Method’, where you break it down into chunks, so choose three jobs and focus on those only. Forget about the rest for the time being until these three are done. Once you’ve prioritised what needs doing, you’ll need to manage your time effectively in order to get your tasks done. In order to focus you can set a timer to get as much of a task done as possible. Once the time runs out, have a break, get up, walk around, have something to eat and if you need to, come back to it and reset the timer. Keep going until the time or the job is complete. And if something can be completed in one-minute or less, do it immediately. This really helps with those small jobs that you keep putting off, such as sending an email. You’ll feel much better once it’s done. It’s all about finding what works for you - you can try multiple strategies and see which one works best and put that into practice going forwards.

Has this ever happened to you? You sit down to work, and suddenly, hours have gone by. But your list of tasks doesn’t seem any shorter. It’s one of the most frustrating things. The truth is, we waste time in ways we don’t even notice. Too many emails, checking messages, trying to do too many things at once – they all seem small, but they take up a lot of time. The worst part? By the end of the day, it feels like nothing got done. But here’s the good news: you don’t have to stay stuck in this. The first step is to see where you're wasting time. Are you always jumping between tasks or letting small things distract you from what’s important? Here’s something simple you can do today: set a timer for 30 minutes and focus on just one task without any interruptions. Don’t check your emails, don’t look at your phone – just focus. When the timer goes off, take a short break and then do it again. This small habit can change how you work. It helps you avoid time-wasters and take back control of your day. We all get distracted sometimes, but getting away from it is easier than you think. Start with one focused session and see how much more you get done.

Here’s how I escaped the 'too busy' trap to improve my quality of work & life. Six years ago, I felt like I was drowning. Meetings kept piling up. Notifications wouldn’t stop. I had no energy, and my days flew by with nothing to show for it. I was zoned out at the lunch table when the guy next to me said  “Dude, what kind of sandwich is that? Where’s the MEAT?” I was like “Where’s the MEAT?” dang! I’ve gotta evaluate my MEAT. So I started tracking my Money, Energy, Attention, and Time for a week. It was messy, but it helped me see what was really happening. Here’s the simple system I used to turn things around immediately: 💵 Money — Automated savings, canceled stuff I didn’t use, and made a plan. ⚡️ Energy  — Blocked 15 minutes between meetings to breathe & refocus. 📵 Attention — Shut off notifications, Slack, email, all of it. 🗓️ Time — Blocked one hour a day to work on what mattered most. My aha! One focused hour beats three messy ones. It’s all about quality! The results? My stress dropped.  My focus improved. And for the first time in years, I finished work with more energy and didn’t touch my laptop at night. I’ve managed to keep this practice. The lesson... Having quality MEAT isn’t a luxury — it’s essential for survival. What’s one small step you can start today to improve the quality of your MEAT? Could you try a 15-minute break or turning off notifications? I’d love to hear about it. Small steps. Big results. Hey, if you are a dude in tech, inspect the quality of your MEAT. 🥩 If your MEAT isn't at the quality you desire and deserve, I can help you make PEA size changes - easy-PEAsy... LFG!!

Start small when forming good habits.

Has this ever happened to you? You sit down to work, and suddenly, hours have gone by. But your list of tasks doesn’t seem any shorter. It’s one of the most frustrating things. The truth is, we waste time in ways we don’t even notice. Too many emails, checking messages, trying to do too many things at once – they all seem small, but they take up a lot of time. The worst part? By the end of the day, it feels like nothing got done. But here’s the good news: you don’t have to stay stuck in this. The first step is to see where you're wasting time. Are you always jumping between tasks or letting small things distract you from what’s important? Here’s something simple you can do today: set a timer for 30 minutes and focus on just one task without any interruptions. Don’t check your emails, don’t look at your phone – just focus. When the timer goes off, take a short break and then do it again. This small habit can change how you work. It helps you avoid time-wasters and take back control of your day. We all get distracted sometimes, but getting away from it is easier than you think. Start with one focused session and see how much more you get done.

Has this ever happened to you? You sit down to work, and suddenly, hours have gone by. But your list of tasks doesn’t seem any shorter. It’s one of the most frustrating things. The truth is, we waste time in ways we don’t even notice. Too many emails, checking messages, trying to do too many things at once – they all seem small, but they take up a lot of time. The worst part? By the end of the day, it feels like nothing got done. But here’s the good news: you don’t have to stay stuck in this. The first step is to see where you're wasting time. Are you always jumping between tasks or letting small things distract you from what’s important? Here’s something simple you can do today: set a timer for 30 minutes and focus on just one task without any interruptions. Don’t check your emails, don’t look at your phone – just focus. When the timer goes off, take a short break and then do it again. This small habit can change how you work. It helps you avoid time-wasters and take back control of your day. We all get distracted sometimes, but getting away from it is easier than you think. Start with one focused session and see how much more you get done.

Ever wished you had 2 extra hours in your day? Most professionals I talk to tell me they have "too much on their plate and not enough hours in the day.” Your calendar is booked solid. You're constantly bombarded with "urgent" ad-hoc requests and spend precious time juggling pointless meetings, emails, and chats. Then you catch up with some "real work" after hours and on weekends. As a result, your health, relationships, and productivity suffer. You end up working longer and harder but you're still unable to achieve your personal goals and feel balanced and fulfilled. But it doesn't have to be this way. With a few simple shifts, you can reclaim control and protect your time and attention so you can get more of the important things done while reducing stress. Join me for a free workshop on Thursday, June 13 from 11am to 12pm CDT, where I’ll share the proven tactics my clients and I use to add 2+ hours a day while beating stress. Click the link in the comments or my profile to register and save your spot. P.S. Share this ♻️ Someone in your network needs it.