On the 279th episode of my Monday Morning Pep Talk, I will give you permission to optimize your time in the manner that helps you maintain a level of consistency needed to be productive. When it comes to time optimization, there is no single “right” way - and anyone who tells you otherwise is selling a system, not a solution. The truth is that the right approach is the one you can stick to consistently. Optimization isn’t about perfection or rigid routines; it’s about building a rhythm that works for you and aligns with how you operate at your best. Consistency beats complexity every time - and the goal isn’t to do more, it’s to do what matters better.
Before I jump into today’s call, I want to remind you of my professional purpose: to help you, the full-service, full-fee Advisor, optimize your productivity and become the best version of yourself. Why? Because “Happy Advisors Sell More Real Estate.” I do that by teaching you how to handle the challenges and opportunities you face every day. When you can effectively manage the situations that arise daily in your business, you’ll be more productive and live a life that reflects the best version of yourself. My ask is that you listen as if you’re in a one-on-one coaching session with me, either in my office or on a call.
I recently spoke with a top-producing advisor who’s achieved an extraordinary amount in his career. When I asked him what productivity tool he uses to manage such a high level of output, he sheepishly admitted that he relies on nothing more than a yellow notepad and a pen. Each morning, he writes out his list, then adjusts and prioritizes it on the fly - crossing off tasks as they’re completed and adding new ones as the day unfolds. It’s a simple, analog system he’s used for as long as he can remember - and it works. Variations of this method have worked for many of you for decades. My own daily process, using a physical planner, isn’t all that different.
Here’s the truth: it’s not always about what you do with your time or your favorite way to manage your day, time, and to-do's. It’s often about what you stop doing. The key word today is optimize, which means “to make the best or most effective use of a situation.” You’ve got 24 hours a day, 365 days a year - let’s make them count.
Here's a list of 10 ways you improve your efficiency by saving wasted time:
My Top 10 Time Optimization Rules:
- Eliminate anything that doesn’t give you a return on investment - either in time or money. If it doesn’t move the needle, it’s out.
- Automate everything that can be automated - in your business and at home. Stop manually doing what tech can do better and faster.
- Upgrade your devices every two years. If you're waiting on a slow phone or computer, you're falling behind in real time.
- Leverage tech tools. Use software and apps that support your systems and standard operating procedures.
- Break the scroll. Social media and streaming are dopamine traps. If you don’t control them, they’ll control your focus and mood.
- Calendar your priorities. Time block your deep work and go into “airplane mode” when it’s time to lock in.
- Become AI literate. Learn how to use AI tools and prompts to eliminate waste and increase leverage.
- Delegate below your PPH (Profit Per Hour). If it can be done for less than your value per hour, hand it off. Buy back your time.
- Cap your weekly hours at 50. If you’re over, go back to #8. Overtime is a symptom of inefficiency, not hustle.
- Set boundaries around your time - who gets it, how much, and why. Learn to say “Hell no” with confidence and without guilt.
Let me be clear: there’s a science behind time optimization, but most of it is simple. The hard part is committing to it. You have to know what your time is worth and be ruthless about protecting it and here’s the kicker - the time you save isn’t for mindless distraction. It should be reinvested in two places:
- Yourself - physically, mentally, spiritually.
- Your business - through higher-value activities that generate revenue and scale.
So, here’s your challenge for the week: stop chasing the perfect system and start owning the one that works for you. Time optimization isn’t about finding more time - it’s about reclaiming it and putting it where it matters most. Your future self isn’t waiting on a miracle; it’s waiting on you to cut the fluff and commit to what moves the needle.
Three takeaways to lock in:
- Consistency beats complexity. Your system only works if you stick to it.
- Protect your time like it’s your most valuable asset. Because it is.
- Reinvest what you save.Pour it back into your well-being and your business.
Now go build a rhythm you can be proud of — because no one else is going to do it for you.
If today’s message resonated with you, do me a favor - share it with someone in your world who needs to hear it. Whether it’s a colleague, a friend, or your team, we rise by lifting others. And don’t forget, every episode is also sent out via email, so if you’re not already subscribed, make sure you’re on the list by subscribing on my Instagram profile at @askjimmiller. I’m simply here to help - and if this helped you, chances are it’ll help someone else too.
