Key Takeaways
- Viewing time as an asset to steward—not simply manage—transforms how leaders prioritise and operate.
- The 6‑Rule Time Stewardship Model (Reflect, Root, Remove, Reserve, Respond, Review) offers a disciplined framework to reclaim focus.
- Without time stewardship, leaders risk high meeting loads, low strategic impact, and burnout.
- Applying the model with structured steps over 4–5 weeks generates a measurable impact on leadership bandwidth.
- Common traps (poor delegation, weak time rules, no review rhythm) can be proactively mitigated with clear fixes.
Why this matters now
Leaders in high‑velocity business and tech environments are under relentless pressure: endless meetings, digital distractions, shifting priorities, and constant urgency. If you’re one of them, you know the pattern: you work hard, but you often feel your time owns you rather than you owning your time. According to an article on leadership time management, traditional approaches no longer suffice for sustainable performance. In this reality, moving from “time management” to time stewardship becomes essential. The difference is subtle but powerful: stewardship implies purpose, ownership, prioritisation — not just control. A recent piece defines time stewardship as “how much, how well, and how timely we deliver our work, and how fulfilling it is” for teams and organisations.
Introducing the 6R Time Stewardship Model
The model comprises six sequential (and iterative) rules:
- Reflect – Take stock of how you actually spend your time and where your emphasis lies.
- Root – Anchor your time decisions in mission, values, and strategic priorities.
- Remove – Eliminate, delegate, or minimise activities that don’t align with your core leadership agenda.
- Reserve – Deliberately carve out blocks of time for high‑impact work, reflection, and recovery.
- Respond – Manage interruptions, requests, and new demands with intention, not reaction.
- Review – Regularly audit your time results, learn, adjust, and improve.
In practice, rather than drifting through your calendar, you’re steering it. Rather than being pulled into every meeting and interruption, you’re choosing where to invest your time and energy. This mindset shift is supported by research showing leaders need more than just efficiency tools — they need frameworks for sustainable time use.
Below you’ll find the detailed comparison table to anchor each rule.
| Key Component | Action | Example | Risk if Ignored |
| Reflect | Track or audit where you spend your time in a typical week | A CIO logs all meetings, emails, and project hours for one week | You stay in reactive mode, unaware of where time leaks occur |
| Root | Link every major commitment to a top‑3 strategic priority | A VP dedicates 40% of their calendar to growth initiatives tied to the strategy | You work hard, but on the wrong things, misaligned with the mission |
| Remove | Cancel, minimize, or delegate low‑alignment activities | The leader removes a weekly status meeting they attend, and delegates to the team lead | You burn time on low‑ROI tasks and lose strategic bandwidth |
| Reserve | Block and protect time for high‑impact, less‑urgent work | The director schedules two 90-minute deep‑work slots per week for innovation | You spend all day firefighting, no time for growth or strategy |
| Respond | Set rules for accepting new commitments and handling interruptions | The leader uses a “traffic‑light” filter before accepting meeting invites | You become calendar hostage, lose control, and have a weak presence |
| Review | Weekly or bi‑weekly review of time performance and adjustments | Executive reviews the % time spent on top‑priority vs reactive work monthly | Mistakes repeat, drift occurs, and there is no feedback loop for learning |
5‑Step Practical Application
Here is how to apply the model over five consecutive weeks — adapt to your rhythm and executive context.
Step 1: Inventory & Reflect (Week 1)
Track everything you do this week: meetings, emails, administrative tasks, deep work, buffer/rest. At the end of the week, identify the top 2‑3 time categories consuming your bandwidth.
Step 2: Root & Prioritize (Week 2)
List your top 2–3 strategic leadership priorities for the next quarter. Map each activity from your inventory to alignment levels (High, Medium, Low).
Step 3: Remove & Delegate (Week 3)
For all “Low alignment” activities: decide to cancel, delegate or automate. Set a goal: remove at least 20% of such low‑alignment time this week.
Step 4: Reserve & Respond (Week 4)
Block “deep work” slots in your calendar (e.g., 90 minutes twice this week) for strategic thinking, mentoring, and innovation. Define rules for accepting new commitments (e.g., any meeting > 30 min prep must require review).
Step 5: Review & Iterate (Week 5 + ongoing)
On the weekend, review the % of your time spent on top‑priority vs reactive work. Question: Did you succeed in shifting the ratio? What drift occurred? Adjust your blocks, remove/delegate decisions, and respond to rules. Make this review a recurring habit.
Real‑World Executive Example
Consider a global technology organisation where the CIO applied this model. Initially, his calendar was about 70% meetings, 10% strategic thinking, and the remainder administrative or interruptions. Within three months of applying the model:
- Meeting hours dropped by 30%
- Strategic work time rose to 22% (from 10%)
- His team’s innovation pipeline grew by 18%
- Feedback from senior stakeholders noted improved focus and presence.
This kind of measurable shift demonstrates how the time stewardship model can convert intent into impact.
Pitfalls & Solutions
Pitfall 1: “I have too many fires to cancel meetings.”
Solution: Even if you can’t remove everything, identify recurring meetings where your presence is marginal; ask: “Is my presence essential?” Then delegate or reduce frequency.
Pitfall 2: Reserved calendar blocks don’t stick — they get overridden.
Solution: Mark them as “Deep Work – Top Priority” in your calendar. Treat them like immovable meetings, schedule them weeks ahead, and communicate their importance to stakeholders.
Pitfall 3: Review becomes a passive exercise with no follow‑through.
Solution: Use clear metrics: e.g., % time in top‑priority work, number of delegations executed, meeting hours removed. Publicly post results (self or team) and hold yourself accountable.
Pitfall 4: The Team perceives you as “unavailable” due to reserved time.
Solution: Communicate openly: “I’m reserving XX time each week to focus on our growth; during these slots I’m offline—outside these windows I’m fully present.” It fosters clarity and respect.
Pitfall 5: Strategic priorities change — but your time blocks don’t.
Solution: At each review, revisit the “Root” step: confirm or revise your top priorities, then realign the time blocks, delegation decisions, and removal lists accordingly.
Reflective Close / Self‑Assessment Question
As an executive leader, ask yourself:
“If I continue on my current time path for the next six months, will I be significantly closer to my key strategic goals—or further away?”
Then follow with: “What one major low‑alignment activity will I remove this week to reclaim time for high‑impact leadership?”
