This blog is inspired by Jim Rohn’s famous quote which I see as a call to action to all of us: “Either you run the day, or the day runs you.”
Master your time and stop letting the day control you.
It’s a reminder that if you don’t take charge of your time, someone else will, whether that’s your inbox, unexpected demands, or distractions pulling you in every direction.
We’ve all had those days where we start with good intentions, but by lunchtime, we’re putting out fires, and wondering where the morning went. And then by the end of the day, you wonder why you even bothered.
That’s because productivity isn’t about doing more – it’s about being intentional so you can focus on what truly matters.
So, how do you take ownership over your day instead of letting it control you? It comes down to a few simple strategies. Take a deep breath as you read through these and decide, is this important to you? If the answer is yes, pick one strategy to start with.
Set Clear Daily Goals
Start each morning with intention by writing down your top three priorities. These aren’t just tasks to tick off, they should be the most important things that move you forward. If you can complete these three, you’ll feel accomplished no matter what else happens.
Set Yourself Up For Success
How you start your day is really important. The start of the day sets the tone for the rest of the day – start it running around like a headless chicken and that’s how the day will go. You know I’m right because I know you’ve had one of those days. Start the day in a foul mood and it will be a foul day. Think about how you could set yourself up for success: perhaps it’s writing the top three priorities as mentioned above, perhaps it’s putting on uplifting music before you start working, perhaps it’s you reading your why, perhaps it’s time in the gym or out in nature first thing. What will you do?
Use Time Blocks
Allocate specific periods of time to key activities rather than trying to multitask your way through the day. Block out time for client facing work, meetings, admin tasks, marketing, accounts and even breaks. When you treat your time as something to be protected, you naturally become more productive.
Minimise Distractions
It’s hard to run your day when every notification, email, or interruption is pulling you off course. Create an environment that supports focus, turn off unnecessary alerts, set boundaries around your availability, and give yourself permission to step away from reactive work. I don’t have any social media or email notifications on my phone – distraction minimised.
Review & Adjust
Productivity isn’t perfection, it’s progress. At the end of the day, take five minutes to reflect: What worked? What didn’t? Small tweaks to your routine can make a huge difference over time, helping you refine your approach and build a day that works for you, not against you.
Remember every day is a new opportunity to make sure you are in charge of time in a respectful way.
The way you structure your time, however small the steps may seem, compounds over time, shaping not just your productivity but your entire life and business. I’m not asking you to squeeze more into your day; I’m asking you to make sure the right things take priority.
The question is: Will you run the day, or will you let the day run you?
The choice is yours.
Until next time,
Best wishes
Philippa x