The CEO Pain Point Solution Series: Lack of Time
Four-Part Series Tackles the Most Common Problems Seen in the C-Suite
Last month, I watched a $100M CEO realize he'd spent 6 weeks without a single hour of strategic thinking. His calendar was packed, his team was executing, revenue was growing—but he felt like he was running a marathon in quicksand.
Sound familiar?
What's remarkable is not how unique these challenges are, but how similar they look across companies, industries, and leadership styles. Whether you're running a fast-growth startup in Silicon Valley or a legacy finance firm in Chicago, the patterns are familiar. Different sectors, but the same pressure points.
That's why I'm sharing the CEO Pain Point Series - four common challenges I see repeatedly, and the practical solutions that have made a real difference.
I've developed these based on years working with high-performing, results-oriented CEOs who have run into inevitable challenges along the way. Let's dive in.
Pain Point #1: Lack of Time
The Problem: You're busy. But are you effective?
Back-to-back meetings. Constant context-switching. A fully spoken for calendar. It's the CEO default. But here's the problem: when your day is jammed, your creativity and strategy risk being postponed.
Do you wonder how great CEOs manage their time?
Studies show CEOs spend up to 72% of their time in meetings, yet only 11% of that time is spent on strategic thinking. The cost? Missed innovation, delays in knocking out problems, and the dwindling of your most valuable currency: the time to reflect and think. Time scarcity doesn't just slow you down. It can harm your judgment. Even worse, it can lead to CEO burnout.
The Solution: Make Your Minutes Matter - Time-Saving Strategies for CEOs
You don't need more hours. You need higher-impact ones.
Take Marcus Rodriguez, CEO of a $75M logistics company. He was drowning in operational meetings until he implemented what I call "Capital-M Minutes." Within 60 days, he'd identified three strategic pivots that increased quarterly revenue by 23%. "I went from reacting to leading," he told me. "The difference was having protected time to actually think."
The best CEOs I've worked with approach their time like capital, allocating it based on return. They build in strategic time to think creatively and long-term, and protect that time every week. Here's how to turn "busy" into "effective” and reclaim leadership minutes.
Put It in Practice:
Protect Capital-M Minutes I've previously written about "Capital-M Minutes," or blocks of time used for meaningful, high-impact thinking. These are the minutes where strategy gets sharpened, vision gets clarified, and blind spots get addressed.
Block at least two 90-minute sessions each week for uninterrupted strategic thinking
Treat them like board meetings. They are non-negotiable and don't get canceled unless absolutely necessary
Audit Your Calendar Ruthlessly Every month, ask your Chief of Staff or EA to run a Time ROI Review. What meetings could've been handled via Slack? What recurring calls can be delegated? Remove one meeting each week that doesn't drive decision-making.
Replace it with white space or a "thinking walk" with a key stakeholder or adviser
Reclaim the Margins Use 10-minute buffers between meetings to reset, not as a time buffer. Create a checklist of 3 questions you ask yourself between calls:
What did I just learn?
What's the impact on our quarterly priorities?
Am I reacting or leading?
The Bottom Line: You'll never have more time. But you can use your time more wisely.
The CEOs who outperform their peers aren't the ones who simply work harder. They're the ones who design their days for maximum impact, clarity, and communication. This was what I see as Pain Point #1. Next week, we'll break down Pain Point #2, another challenge that has worked its way into too many c-suites.
This Week's CEO Challenge:
Level 1: Block 90 minutes on your calendar RIGHT NOW for strategic thinking. Label it "Capital-M Minutes" and treat it like your most important board meeting.
Level 2: Email me your biggest time waster this week—I'll reply within 24 hours with a specific solution tailored to your situation.
Level 3: Implement Capital-M Minutes across your entire leadership team. Have each C-suite member block 90 minutes weekly and share one strategic insight at your next leadership meeting.
Your move: Owning your own time will grow your bottom line and deliver to your stakeholders.
The difference between good CEOs and great ones isn't talent—it's how they spend their time. Stop being busy. Start being strategic. Your competition is counting on you staying distracted.
If you’re a leader - company wide or just a team, I can help you align across the organization. Contact me here.
