Have you ever ended a week feeling exhausted—but unsure what you actually accomplished?
If so, you may be caught in the myth of time management—the belief that better scheduling will solve your stress, inefficiency, or lack of fulfillment.
But here’s the truth: time isn’t the problem. It’s how we manage our lives within the time we’re given that makes the difference.
“There really is no such thing as time management. The term is an oxymoron.” —John Maxwell
Time is not something you can manage. It’s fixed. Immutable. You get 24 hours a day—no more, no less. You can’t save it, stretch it, or manufacture more of it. What you can manage is yourself.
And that’s where the real work begins.
Why This Matters for Leaders
When followers waste time, they squander potential. But when leaders waste time, they squander the potential of others.
“Good leaders cannot be bad self-managers.” —John Maxwell
If you’re leading a team, an organization, or a movement, your ability to steward your time is not just a personal issue—it’s a leadership issue. Your calendar is not just a reflection of your priorities; it’s a mirror of your values, your clarity, and your courage.
And if you’re constantly reacting to what’s urgent instead of investing in what’s important, you’re not leading—you’re drifting.
The Calendar Isn’t the Problem
John Maxwell tells the story of attending a time management seminar early in his career. The speaker used a powerful metaphor: every day is like a suitcase. Everyone gets the same size. But some people know what to pack.
That image stuck with him for over 30 years. And it’s stuck with me too.
“Time is an equal-opportunity employer; everybody gets twenty-four hours a day—no more, no less—but not everybody gets the same return on their twenty-four hours.” —John Maxwell
The difference isn’t in the hours. It’s in the intentionality.
Leaders who manage their lives well don’t just fill their calendars—they fill their days with purpose. They protect their time from the expectations of others. They say no to good things so they can say yes to the right things.
“Time is the most valuable coin in your life. You and you alone will determine how that coin will be spent. Be careful that you do not let other people spend it for you.” —Carl Sandburg
Why Time Management Is a Myth
The myth of time management suggests that if we just find the right planner, app, or productivity hack, we’ll finally get control of our lives.
Time cannot be managed. It cannot be paused, saved, or stretched.
It moves forward regardless of how we feel or what we do. Everyone—whether a CEO or a college intern—gets the same 24 hours.
The difference isn’t in the hours. It’s in how we manage ourselves within them.
The Real Problem: Self-Management
Maxwell identifies three common traps that leaders fall into when they mismanage themselves:
- They undervalue their uniqueness by doing what others expect instead of what they’re uniquely gifted to do.
- They ruin their effectiveness by spending time on unimportant tasks.
- They reduce their potential by avoiding coaching or training that could help them grow.
These aren’t time problems. They’re life problems. And they require a shift in mindset—from managing minutes to stewarding meaning.
“Time is the most valuable coin in your life. You and you alone will determine how that coin will be spent. Be careful that you do not let other people spend it for you.” —Carl Sandburg
A Better Way: Life Management
Maxwell offers a practical framework for life management that helps leaders focus on what truly matters:
- Advance your purpose – Invest time in what aligns with your calling.
- Underscore your values – Say yes to what fulfills you, not just what fills your calendar.
- Maximize your strengths – Do more of what you do best.
- Equip others – Multiply your time by mentoring and delegating.
- Simplify – Say no to complexity so you can say yes to clarity.
This is the heart of life management. It’s not about doing more. It’s about doing what matters most.
The Cost of Poor Life Management
The myth of time management doesn’t just waste your energy—it erodes your leadership.
When you try to manage time instead of managing your life, you end up reacting instead of leading. You fill your calendar with meetings that don’t move the mission forward. You say yes to requests that dilute your focus. You spend your best energy on tasks that someone else could do better.
And over time, the cost adds up.
1. You Lose Sight of Your Calling
When your calendar is full but your soul is empty, something’s off. Leaders who don’t manage their lives drift from their purpose. They become efficient at the wrong things. They confuse motion with meaning.
2. You Burn Out Your Team
When you’re overwhelmed, your team feels it. You become less available, less present, and less inspiring. You start managing people like tasks instead of developing them as leaders.
And that creates a culture of burnout, not breakthrough.
3. You Miss the Multiplication Moment
Poor life management keeps you stuck in maintenance mode. You’re too busy to mentor. Too distracted to delegate. Too reactive to reproduce other leaders.
And that’s the real tragedy—because leadership isn’t about doing more. It’s about becoming more so you can multiply more.
The Life Management Framework
If the myth of time management has left you feeling overbooked and underfulfilled, it’s time to shift from reacting to leading. John Maxwell offers a practical framework that helps leaders move from calendar control to calling alignment.
This isn’t about squeezing more into your day. It’s about filling your day with what matters most.
1. Know What to Pack
Maxwell compares each day to a suitcase: everyone gets the same size, but not everyone knows what to pack. The most effective leaders prioritize what is:
- Required – What must I do?
- Return-generating – What gives the highest impact?
- Rewarding – What energizes and fulfills me?
When you pack your day with these three, you lead with clarity and peace—not just productivity.
2. Use the Priority Matrix
Not everything urgent is important. Maxwell encourages leaders to rate tasks using a simple formula:
- Importance × Urgency = Priority Score
This helps you sort your day into:
- A-level tasks (16–25): Critical
- B-level tasks (9–15): Important
- C-level tasks (1–8): Low priority
Planning your month with this lens helps you lead proactively, not reactively.
3. Stay in Your Strength Zone
You’re most effective when you operate in your strengths. Maxwell reminds us:
“You cannot grow to your maximum potential if you’re not in your strength zone.”
Delegate what drains you. Focus on what fuels you. That’s not selfish—it’s strategic.
4. Simplify Ruthlessly
Complexity is the enemy of clarity. Leaders who manage their lives well learn to say no—often and unapologetically.
Every “yes” to something unimportant is a “no” to something essential.
From Calendar Control to Calling Alignment
The myth of time management has convinced many leaders that the solution to their overwhelm is better scheduling. But the truth is deeper—and more freeing.
You don’t need more time. You need more clarity.
When you shift from managing your calendar to managing your life, everything changes.
You stop reacting and start leading. You stop filling your days and start fulfilling your purpose. You stop chasing productivity and start cultivating peace.
So here’s the invitation:
Don’t just optimize your schedule. Align your life.
If your calendar is full but your soul is tired, it’s time for a reset.
👉 Let’s talk about how to realign your leadership with what matters most.