Time Is Money: 8 Timesaving Tips Every Business Leader Should Utilise
Leading a business is demanding. Between constant emails, meetings, and decisions, it’s easy to lose track of your most precious resource time. Without intentional management, small distractions can snowball into productivity bottlenecks that drain both your energy and your company’s momentum.
At BGR, we know that effective time management is about more than working harder it’s about working smarter. Here are eight practical, evidence-based strategies every business leader can use to reclaim control of their schedule and focus on what really matters.
“The key is not to prioritise what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” – Stephen R. Covey
1. Prioritise Ruthlessly
The secret to saving time isn’t doing more, it’s doing what matters most. The Eisenhower Matrix, which classifies tasks by urgency and importance, remains one of the simplest and most effective tools for decision-making.
Many leaders get caught in the trap of tackling “urgent” but low-impact work. Instead, review your to-do list daily and ask: Does this move the business forward? If not, delegate or remove it. Think of your time as an investment portfolio, allocate it where the returns are greatest.
2. Delegate with Trust
Delegation is one of the most powerful leadership tools, yet also one of the most underused. Many leaders hold onto tasks out of habit or fear of losing control, but this can slow the business and stifle growth.
Delegate outcomes, not just tasks. Set clear expectations, provide the right resources, and then step back. Empowering your team strengthens trust, drives engagement, and frees you to focus on strategy, innovation, and leadership.
3. Let Technology Do the Heavy Lifting
Automation isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a time multiplier. From automated reporting to scheduling and invoice reminders, the right tools can remove hours of repetitive tasks each week.
According to Deloitte, businesses that adopted automation in finance and operations reported time savings of up to 80% in high-volume processes. While setup requires an initial investment, the return is significant. As your accounting partner, we can help you budget for digital transformation and streamline your workflows for measurable efficiency gains.
4. Guard Your Calendar
Your calendar tells the story of your priorities. Unfortunately, it’s often hijacked by endless meetings and interruptions.
Introduce “meeting-free zones” – protected time blocks for deep, focused work. Apply Jeff Bezos’s famous “two-pizza rule”: if a meeting requires more than two pizzas to feed everyone, it’s probably too large. Smaller, focused meetings with clear agendas lead to better results and far less wasted time.
5.Communicate with Intention
Modern communication tools make collaboration easier than ever, but they can also create constant interruptions. Platforms like shared project boards, document systems, and team messaging apps allow asynchronous communication, enabling people to respond when they have space in their day.
This approach encourages focus and reduces the need for unnecessary meetings. The result? A calmer, more productive work environment where everyone gets more done.
6. Use Decision-Making Frameworks
Leadership is, at its core, about making decisions. The slower those decisions, the slower the organisation moves.
Structured approaches such as weighted scoring models or pros-and-cons matrices can speed up evaluations, eliminate indecision, and help you reach clear conclusions faster. Faster decision-making means smoother operations and better momentum across the business.
7. Invest in Personal Efficiency
Time management starts with personal discipline. Small habit shifts, like answering emails in set batches instead of constantly checking notifications, can reclaim hours from your day.
Building new habits takes practice, but consistency pays off. Over time, you’ll find that better boundaries and focus not only save time but also improve your overall leadership performance.
8. Treat Time as a Strategic Asset
Great leaders understand that time is more than a resource, it’s a strategic advantage. Protect it, optimise it, and invest it wisely.
By prioritising effectively, delegating with confidence, automating smartly, and managing your calendar with intention, you can transform time from a constraint into a competitive edge.
When used strategically, time becomes the one investment guaranteed to yield long-term growth.
Let’s Help You Reclaim Your Time
If your business processes or financial systems are slowing you down, we can help. BGR’s experienced advisors work with business leaders to streamline operations, improve workflows, and create time-saving financial structures that support smarter decision-making.