Commanding the Clock: How Effective Leaders Take Control of Their Time
- Mays and Associates Staff
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
February is National Time Management Month, making it the perfect moment to pause, reflect, and rethink how we use our most limited resource: time. On episode number 65 of the PinLeader™ Podcast titled Commanding the Clock, Dr. Shanda Gore sat down with certified life coach, award-winning entrepreneur, and owner of American Steel, Ms. Amy Hall to explore what time management really looks like for effective leaders.
The conversation revealed a powerful truth: managing time isn’t just about calendars and to-do lists—it’s about managing yourself.
Time Management Is More Than the Clock
When we talk about time management, most people immediately think of schedules, meetings, and deadlines. But as Ms. Hall shared, effective time management has two dimensions:
The finite clock – the literal hours and minutes in your day
The internal clock – your thoughts, emotions, and mental energy
Leaders often underestimate how much time is lost to overthinking, emotional drain, and mental clutter. When your thoughts spiral or emotions take over, they quietly consume the same limited time you’re trying to protect.
“Effectively managing your time also means effectively managing your thoughts,” Ms. Hall noted.
Tools That Support (Not Control) Your Schedule
Technology can be helpful—but only if it works for you. Ms. Hall shared that while digital calendars are convenient, relying on them alone can backfire when systems fail or become overwhelming.
Her solution? Redundancy and intention.
A digital calendar for reminders and structure
A paper planner or written list to reinforce memory and clarity
A daily to-do list to maintain focus and motivation
Crossing items off a list may seem simple, but it provides visual progress—and momentum matters.
Why Looking Back Helps You Move Forward
One of the most powerful habits Ms. Hall described was conducting a year-end audit of her schedule. By reviewing past calendars and commitments, she gained clarity on:
What truly moved the needle
Where time was spent without meaningful return
Patterns that revealed blind spots
This reflective practice helps leaders stop normalizing overwork and start acknowledging growth, progress, and success—while also refining future priorities.
Productivity vs. Effectiveness: There Is a Difference
Being busy has long been worn as a badge of honor. But as Dr. Gore emphasized, busy doesn’t equal effective.
Packing your day with back-to-back meetings might look productive, but without space to think, reflect, and process, effectiveness suffers—and burnout creeps in.
A powerful leadership shift is learning to:
Limit meetings per day
Build in white space
Allow time for recovery and reflection
Commanding the clock means deciding how your energy is used—not just where your time goes.
Habits, Boundaries, and Protecting Personal Time
Sustainable time management depends on knowing yourself. Ms. Hall shared how she schedules around her natural rhythms—recognizing what must be fixed and what can be flexible.
Equally important? Scheduling rest.
If downtime isn’t intentionally placed on the calendar, it’s often the first thing sacrificed. Leaders give time to work, family, teams, and communities—but must also give time to themselves.
Words Matter: Reframing “Busy”
One of the most insightful moments of the conversation focused on language. Amy reflected on how often we describe our lives as “busy”—and how that word quietly reinforces stress and pressure.
Instead, she’s choosing words like:
Full
Meaningful
Purpose-driven
What we say shapes how we experience time.
The Takeaway: Command Your Time—or It Will Command You
Time isn’t hidden from us. We all get the same 24 hours. The difference lies in how intentionally we use them.
Commanding the clock means:
Aligning time with values
Protecting mental and emotional energy
Replacing busyness with effectiveness
Designing days that reflect who you want to be
As leaders, students, professionals, and humans, time management isn’t just a productivity skill—it’s a leadership practice.
And February is the perfect time to start.
Presented by ROAR Productions. The PinLeader™ Podcast is an interview format show that provides effective tips to those that are currently leaders or have a desire to become leaders. A new episode is released every Wednesday.
