Nearly a whole year full of possibility stretches out ahead of you. But the same old distractions and overwhelm that might have plagued you back in 2025 are still with you in 2026. You’re going to need more than just a list of goals for the year and some determination.
Achieving peak productivity requires planning, resources, and a set of really good time management skills.
It’s not about grinding as hard as you possibly can so you can fit 12 hours of high-level work into every day.
Peak productivity should mean you’re always using your time in a way that’s aligned with your peak priorities.
You’re always getting the most important stuff done at work, so you’re able to end each day with a sense of satisfaction – and with plenty of time left to eat, rest, and enjoy your personal life.
Now’s the time to lock in the habits and strategies that are going to support you all year. Think about everything you could get done in 2026 if you’re able to increase your productivity and really focus on the most important things.
I often talk about the steps involved in creating your own customized toolkit for time management. But right now, let’s talk about some broader skills and resources you might need to refresh as we start a new year.
Some Components For Your 2026 Time Management Toolkit Might Include:
▪️A method for mapping your time that you can actually stick with long term.
You must have a way to map your time and your schedule that you’re actually going to refer to and keep updated. If you schedule your entire life on a giant paper calendar, and that works for you, great. If running your life through Google calendar feels easiest for you, that’s great too. But, if you’re always missing appointments or failing to keep your calendar updated, consider trying other methods.
▪️A good sense of what technology you want to use, and the confidence to use it securely.
The way you use technology can intersect with your productivity in many ways, good and bad. Using outdated, inefficient, or overly complicated programs slows you down. Think about how well your digital tools are working for you and if you need to explore different options to become more efficient. Your technology should support your ability to work productively, not create more distractions.
▪️Systems of support for tasks and challenges at work.
Think about the pain points that always come up around the logistical and administrative parts of your work. What can you offload to members of your team this year? What processes can you streamline, automate, or eliminate altogether? How can you free up more time to do the higher-level work that you’re great at?
▪️Systems of support for tasks and challenges on the personal side.
Think about ways to make your life a little easier outside of work. Who’s in your community? Who are the people you can turn to if you need help getting a volunteer commitment done, or with last-minute childcare? Is it time to look into grocery delivery/laundry service/a cleaning service; e.g., outsourcing some household tasks you just don’t have the bandwidth for?
▪️Prepared responses for requests you can’t (or don’t want to) fulfill.
This is harder for some people than others. If you’re someone who always ends up with an overwhelmed schedule because you struggle to say no, this is a great time to practice. Having a few simple scripts to fall back on might keep you from blurting out a “yes” when you’d rather say no.
▪️Physical workspaces that are set up to pull you into your work.
Your physical environment has a big influence on your productivity and time management. The beginning of the year is an ideal time to clean/rearrange/edit your workspace so it feels like a place where you can comfortably focus.
▪️Concrete plans for upcoming activities that will give you joy.
Having things to look forward to keeps you engaged and motivated to keep moving ahead. Get fun things planned for February and start thinking about your plans for good times in spring and summer.
3 Things to Get Clear About Before the End of January:
- Your most important goals for the year. The New Year’s resolutions period has passed and you can think about your yearly goals in realistic terms.
- What’s going well so far this year. Notice the routines and habits that have been working for you in January. Feel some pride in things you’ve accomplished this month.
- What you need help with as you move into February. Even if it’s just one thing, identifying specific areas where you could use some support is a powerful step forward.
Let me help you stop spinning your wheels and finally create peaceful productivity.
We’re all wired differently, so there’s no one perfect way to fix your time management challenges. What works for someone else won’t necessarily work for you. Like a lot of busy professionals, you might need help – to figure out what’s really going wrong with the way you manage your time, and what specific steps you can take to make improvements.
Time Matters Boot Camp is a 90-day program, packed with concrete information and time management strategies you’ll be able to put into practice right away. Through 90 days of weekly Zoom sessions, implementations labs, peer support, and more, you’ll learn the skills to increase productivity and create the life you crave. If you’re interested, schedule a no-cost Strategy Session and we’ll talk about whether this boot camp is a good fit for your needs. Click here to learn more about boot camp and to request a Strategy Session.
Be well,
Sarah
- Preparing Your 2026 Toolkit For A Productive and Peaceful Year - January 15, 2026
- Connecting Joy and Productivity in the New Year - December 13, 2025
- Three Things to Do Now to Set Yourself up for Success for 2026 - November 19, 2025
