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1. Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule)
Definition & Focus: Identify the 20% of tasks that drive 80% of your results. By prioritizing these high-impact tasks, you maximize efficiency and outcomes.

• Why It Works: Helps cut through "busy work" and devote energy to what truly moves the needle.
• Mini-Formula:
  
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  High Leverage Tasks = ~20% Effort → 80% Results

• Example: A CEO might realize that only a handful of core clients generate the bulk of revenue. By focusing more attention on these clients, they optimize ROI while freeing time for strategic planning.
• Best For: Leaders needing to quickly pinpoint priority activities.

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2. Eisenhower Matrix
Definition & Focus: Categorize tasks by urgency and importance to decide whether to do, delegate, defer, or delete.

Urgent + Important	Do now
Not Urgent + Important	Schedule
Urgent + Not Important	Delegate
Not Urgent + Not Important	Delete

• Why It Works: Prevents spending time on non-essential tasks; clarifies which tasks deserve your direct attention.
• Example: A last-minute investor call (urgent & important) might be handled personally, while routine admin (urgent but not important) gets delegated to an assistant.
• Best For: CEOs juggling high-stakes decisions who need a quick triage system.

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3. Ivy Lee Method
Definition & Focus: Each evening, write down the top 6 tasks for the next day, in order of importance. Start with the first task and work on it until done before moving on.

• Simple Process:
    1) Identify 6 major tasks for tomorrow.
    2) Prioritize them (1–6).
    3) Complete them in sequence, finishing each fully before starting the next.
• Example: A CEO lists: 1) Review quarterly financials, 2) Meet lead developer, 3) Draft investor pitch deck, 4) Finalize marketing budget, 5) Approve new hire, 6) Check in with sales lead.
• Result: Streamlined approach ensures you tackle the most important tasks first, reducing context switching.

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4. Pomodoro Technique
Definition & Focus: Break your day into 25-minute blocks of focused work ("pomodoros"), each followed by a 5-minute break. After 4 pomodoros, take a longer break.

• Why It Works: Creates bursts of intense concentration, fights distractions, and includes regular recovery periods.
• Mini-Formula:
  
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  25 min Focus + 5 min Break = 1 Pomodoro Cycle

• Example: A CEO uses Pomodoros for strategic planning or creative work. They set a timer for 25 minutes to focus on a business case, then enjoy a quick break to recharge.
• Best For: Anyone needing sustained focus amidst frequent interruptions.

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5. Timeboxing
Definition & Focus: Schedule tasks (or types of tasks) into fixed blocks of time (e.g., 15, 30, 60 minutes). During that block, you focus exclusively on that activity.

• Core Idea: Decide in advance exactly how much time to spend on a task. Once the box is over, move to the next scheduled block.
• Mini-Formula:
  
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  Time Constraint + Single-Tasking = Maximum Efficiency

• Example: 8:00–8:30 = Email triage, 8:30–9:15 = Product roadmap review, 9:15–10:00 = Meeting with finance, etc.
• Benefit: Forces you to keep tasks contained, reducing over-analysis or procrastination.

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6. Task Batching
Definition & Focus: Group similar tasks—like emails, meetings, or planning—together in dedicated blocks to reduce context-switching and wasted energy.

• Why It Works: Minimizes the mental overhead of shifting from one task type to another.
• Example Batches:
    - Emails from 9:00–9:30 and 16:00–16:30 daily
    - Meetings only on Tuesday/Thursday afternoons
    - Planning tasks on Friday morning
• Result: Greater flow and productivity, especially for CEOs managing multiple responsibilities.

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7. 3-3-3 Rule
Definition & Focus (per Oliver Burkeman): Each day, plan:

• 3 hours of deep work on a major project
• 3 urgent tasks (like critical calls or must-do emails)
• 3 maintenance tasks (routine checks, minor administrative tasks)

• Why It Works: Balances deep-focus output (3 hours) with essential but smaller daily to-dos. Prevents "firefighting" from overtaking key priorities.
• Mini-Formula:
  
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  Deep Focus + Urgent Musts + Basic Upkeep = Well-Rounded Productivity

• Best For: CEOs juggling a high-impact project while still needing to handle urgent items and ongoing tasks.

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8. Theory of Constraints (TOC)
Definition & Focus (Eliyahu Goldratt): Identify the biggest limiting factor (constraint) in a process or system, then optimize and elevate it to achieve better overall flow.

• Steps:
    1) Identify the constraint.
    2) Exploit it (use resources fully).
    3) Subordinate other processes to the constraint.
    4) Elevate the constraint (improve or remove bottleneck).
    5) If constraint shifts, repeat the cycle.
• Mini-Formula:
  
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  Find Bottleneck → Optimize Bottleneck → Sync Everything → Repeat

• Example: A CEO finds product shipping times are the major throughput block. By reorganizing logistics or adding staff, they drastically improve overall delivery speed and customer satisfaction.
• Best For: Leaders seeking to systematically remove bottlenecks and streamline processes.

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Bringing It All Together
Leaders who master these 8 time management techniques can more effectively juggle strategic decisions, daily tasks, and team responsibilities. Whether you're leveraging the Pareto Principle to focus on the most impactful 20% of tasks, using the Eisenhower Matrix to clarify priorities, or applying Pomodoro and Timeboxing for deep focus, each method serves a unique purpose. Combine them wisely:

High-Impact Priorities (Pareto + Eisenhower)
+ Structured Daily Planning (Ivy Lee, 3-3-3 rule)
+ Deep Focus (Pomodoro, Task Batching, Timeboxing)
+ Systemic Improvement (Theory of Constraints)
= MAX Productivity & Efficiency

This holistic approach ensures that CEOs—and anyone else managing complex workloads—can maintain clarity, momentum, and high-level results in a constantly evolving business environment.