The 10-Minute Planning Hack That Saves Hours Every Week.
Welcome to Linked And Lift, your weekly guide to purposeful living and thriving careers for founders, executives and busy professionals! Each week, you get research-backed insights and practical strategies to help you lead with clarity, grow with intention, and find balance.
Did you know that the world’s first known time management book was published in 1898? Titled How to Live on Twenty-Four Hours a Day by Arnold Bennett, it’s still eerily relevant.
Bennett emphasized the power of carving out an hour daily for personal growth—proof that time management struggles aren’t just a modern-day thing.
Love this old-school wisdom? Hit reply and tell us!
What’s in Store:
The 10-minute planning hack that can transform your week.
Why Google Calendar is your secret weapon.
Around the web: The latest on AI's role in managing workplace burnout.
A new productivity tool you’ll want to try.
Read Time: 5 minutes
FEATURED INSIGHT
The 10-Minute Planning Hack That Saves Hours Every Week
Picture this:
It’s Monday morning, and you’re diving headfirst into work. Before you know it, you’re juggling emails, meetings, and deadlines with zero breathing room.
Sound familiar?
Here’s the problem:
Most people react to their week rather than designing it.
Enter the 10-Minute Weekly Planning Hack—a simple habit that can transform how you approach your time.
How it works:
Schedule a 10-minute appointment with yourself every Sunday or Monday morning.
Use this time to map out your top priorities and align them with your calendar.Follow the “Big 3” rule.
Identify three key tasks that will make the biggest impact on your week. These could be work goals, personal errands, or even wellness habits like exercise.Time-block your calendar.
Reserve chunks of time for your Big 3 tasks, leaving space for flexibility. Tools like Google Calendar or Notion are great for this.Eliminate “decision fatigue.”
Use your 10 minutes to anticipate roadblocks (like back-to-back meetings) and plan solutions (like scheduling a lunch break to recharge).
Why it works:
This hack shifts your mindset from reactive to proactive.
Studies show that spending even a few minutes planning your week can increase productivity by up to 25% and reduce stress by helping you focus on what truly matters.
Quick Poll:
Vote now to see live results and insights from your peers in next week’s edition.
Last week’s Poll results
What’s your biggest barrier to valuing your skills?
Fear of rejection - 8%
Imposter Syndrome. - 23%
Lack of clarity about my worth. - 62% ✨
Difficulty negotiating. - 8%
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
PRODUCTIVITY BOOSTER
Google Calendar’s “Focus Time” Feature
This underused gem lets you block time for deep work and even auto-declines meeting invites during those hours. Perfect for staying focused on your Big 3 tasks!
How to use it
Open Google Calendar.
Create a new event and select “Focus Time.”
Choose auto-decline settings to reduce distractions.
Pro Tip:
Pair Focus Time with your 10-minute planning session to double down on productivity.
On This Day
December 5, 1901 – Walt Disney was born. The legendary creator of Mickey Mouse and Disney Studios proved that with enough imagination (and time management), you can turn dreams into reality.
Tool of the Week
Motion
Motion combines calendar management with AI-powered task prioritization to help you reclaim hours of lost time. It’s perfect for busy leaders balancing meetings, projects, and personal goals.
Why we love it:
Automatically reorganizes your schedule when things change.
Prioritizes tasks based on deadlines and importance.
Integrates seamlessly with Google Calendar and Outlook.
👉 Try Motion here for free.
And the Winner Is…
Congratulations, Amie D.! 🎉
You’re the winner of our November Subscriber Survey Giveaway and a $10 Amazon gift card! 🎁 Check your inbox for details.
Want to be next?
Join our December giveaway by telling us what matters to you here.
Your input helps us make Linked And Lift even better!
AROUND THE WEB
AI and Workplace Burnout: A recent study shows AI tools can reduce repetitive tasks, giving employees more time for creative and strategic work.
Productivity Boosters: A study finds people who structure their time are 55% happier than those who wing it—routine wins again!
Workplace Hacks: Flexible schedules, focus blocks, and holiday decluttering are the trifecta for end-of-year motivation.
Gen Z’s Secret Sauce: 35% of 25–34-year-olds swear by structured routines over spontaneity—less chaos, more wins.
Linked And Lift Picks
Book: The One Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan—master the art of prioritization and cut through distractions to achieve extraordinary results.
Podcast: A Productive Conversation with Mike Vardy—practical tips from experts on time mastery and boosting your productivity game.
Weekly Inspiration
“Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem.
We all have twenty-four-hour days.”
– Zig Ziglar.
We Want to Hear from You!
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Meet the Writer
Founder, Linked And Lift.
A dedicated advocate for healthy workplaces, offering research-backed strategies on leadership, personal and professional growth, and burnout prevention to help you thrive in your career and life.