9 tips for making your work calendar less overwhelming

In my coaching, I pride myself on helping clients get to the root of their issues, instead of offering Band-Aid solutions. At the same time, I’ve found that sometimes people are so overwhelmed with all they have to do that they have difficulty making time for the deeper reflective thought that coaching requires. In these situations, I offer some quick and easy-to-implement best practices to help reduce their sense of overwhelm.

Managing your work calendar effectively is one of the most crucial steps toward feeling more in control of your professional life. When your calendar is well-organized, it reduces stress, increases productivity, and ensures that you are focusing on the tasks that truly matter. However, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by back-to-back meetings, constant demands on your time, and the struggle to find space for deep work.

Here’s how you can regain control of your work calendar with practical tips and strategies that can be implemented right away:

Set clear priorities

Before diving into calendar management, it’s important to set clear priorities. Your calendar should reflect your key objectives, goals, and values—not just the urgent requests that come your way. Start by identifying your top priorities for the week, month, and quarter. These could include project milestones, professional development, or key meetings with stakeholders.

Set clear priorities

Time blocking is a powerful technique where you divide your day into blocks of time dedicated to specific tasks or activities. This method helps you focus on one task at a time, reducing the mental clutter that comes from multitasking. It also ensures that you allocate time to all aspects of your work, including deep work, meetings, and administrative tasks.

Learn to say no

One of the biggest challenges in calendar management is learning to say “no.” It’s easy to accept every meeting request that comes your way, but this often leads to a crowded calendar with little time for meaningful work. Protecting your time is essential to maintaining control over your schedule.

Use the ‘two-minute rule’

The two-minute rule, popularized by David Allen in his book Getting Things Done, suggests that if a task can be completed in two minutes or less, you should do it immediately. This rule helps prevent your to-do list from becoming cluttered with minor tasks and ensures that these small items don’t take up unnecessary space on your calendar.

Leverage technology

Modern calendar tools offer a range of features that can help you manage your time more effectively. From scheduling assistants that find the best meeting times to integration with task management apps, these tools can significantly reduce the time you spend organizing your calendar.

Batch similar tasks

Batching similar tasks together is a technique that can improve your efficiency and focus. For example, if you need to make multiple phone calls, schedule them back-to-back rather than scattering them throughout the day. This minimizes the mental switch costs associated with jumping between different types of tasks.

Create buffer time

Buffer time between meetings and tasks is essential for maintaining flexibility and preventing burnout. It gives you a moment to regroup, reflect, or handle any unexpected issues that arise during the day. Without buffer time, your day can feel rushed, and you may find yourself running late from one meeting to the next.

Review and reflect

Effective calendar management requires regular review and adjustment. At the end of each week, take a few minutes to reflect on how well your calendar worked for you. Did you manage to stick to your time blocks? Were there meetings that could have been shorter or avoided? Use these insights to make adjustments for the following week.

Delegate and outsource

If you’re constantly overwhelmed by tasks, it might be time to delegate or outsource some of them. Delegating responsibilities to others not only frees up your time but also empowers your team members to take on more responsibility. (For more on how to delegate effectively, see here.)