Being a manager means you’re always switching gears. One moment you’re in a 1:1, then it’s strategy, then someone’s asking for a file you didn’t even know existed. You try to stay on top of everything, but it’s easy to slip into reactive mode and lose your head.
This isn’t about being hyper-productive. It’s about staying clear, focused, and not letting the chaos run you. These tips help.
1. Get your day in one place
Before you even check your phone, get a quick read on what’s coming. I use Abalmon to send me a morning summary: meetings, top tasks, loose ends. One glance and I know what to expect.
2. Block your focus time like it’s a meeting
If you don’t protect time to think, it gets eaten. Block it. Lock it. Let Abalmon guard it for you. No calls, no random tasks. Just space to work on what actually matters.
3. Stop repeating yourself
Anything you assign more than once—automate it. "Assign the team recap to Ana every Friday." That’s it. You never have to think about it again.
4. Talk, don’t type
Most of my ideas or reminders pop up between meetings. Instead of writing them down and forgetting where, I just say: “Remind me to check in with Marc this afternoon.” It’s added, tracked, and I can move on.
5. Make delegation easy (for them and you)
When you give someone a task, give them what they need. Notes, links, docs—whatever. Abalmon makes it easy to send all that in one step, so you’re not writing long messages or getting follow-up questions later.
6. Don’t chase follow-ups manually
Use reminders or let your assistant do the nudging. If something’s still pending after 3 days, have it auto-follow-up. You don’t have time to babysit open threads.
7. End the week with a quick review
Friday afternoon (or whenever works), check what moved and what didn’t. Abalmon sends a recap so you can see what’s stuck, what’s done, and what’s worth tweaking. Clear head before the weekend.
Final note
Good managers don’t do it all. They build systems that help things move without them always pushing. That’s how you keep your team running and still have brainspace for the big stuff.
You don’t need to grind harder. You just need better habits—and the right support behind the scenes.