Productivity
One of the most common things I hear from new managers is:
“I feel like I get nothing done.”
It’s a real and frustrating experience. Suddenly, your days are packed—emails, Slack, meetings, ad hoc questions—and yet, by 5:00 p.m., you’ve got nothing tangible to show for it. Especially if you’ve come from a development background, where progress was visible—tickets closed, bugs fixed, code shipped—this new reality can feel like a total loss of control.
So, what’s going on?
Developers Are Built for Flow
A lot of advice for developers centers around getting into “flow”—that focused, uninterrupted state where complex ideas click together and big problems get solved. It’s real, and it’s valuable.
Flow requires space. It requires quiet. It often requires blocking out the world.
Agile practices (like sprints) reinforce this by minimizing interruptions. Focus is baked into the workflow. But…
Managers Don’t Get Flow—Unless They Build It
As a manager, there is no system inherently protecting your time. Interruptions are the job. You’re context-switching constantly—between projects, people, priorities.
And if your sense of productivity used to come from building things or ticking boxes, this new role can feel like you’re spinning your wheels.
The good news is: you can absolutely create structure. You just have to build it for yourself.
Build a System That Works for You
You don’t need a rigid framework. You need a system that helps you feel in control—without holding it all in your head. That’s the key to reclaiming your focus.
I’ll walk you through what works for me. Your version might look different, and that’s fine. But if this gives you a starting point—or the inspiration to build your own system—then we’re on the right track.
1. Live by Your Calendar
If it’s not on my calendar, it doesn’t exist.
Every meeting, every prep block—it’s all there. I encourage people to just grab time where I’m available, which means I also block out space for things like lunch. My calendar is synced to my phone and laptop with 10-minute reminders.
I glance at it first thing in the morning and build the rest of my day from there.
2. Start with a Prioritized To-Do List
Each morning, I open my to-do list (I use Asana) and prioritize. I look at my calendar first to see what’s coming, then add any prep tasks to my list.
Some items are recurring—like weekly 1:1 prep—and they show up automatically on the right day. My future self helping out my present self.
Anything not due today goes into a “Later” section that stays collapsed. Less visual clutter, less mental clutter.
3. Capture Notes Somewhere Else
To-dos are for focused work. I don’t clutter that space with messy notes or half-thoughts. Instead, I use Evernote on my phone to jot things down in real time—during meetings, between conversations, whenever something pops into my head.
Later, when I have time, I go through and convert those into real tasks (or delete them if they’re no longer relevant).
4. Control the Inbox
I don’t keep email open all day. I check it in batches, a few times per day. I archive everything I’ve read or acted on. That way, only unread or truly actionable items are visible.
If something requires follow-up beyond a quick reply, I move it to Asana and archive the email. My inbox is not my to-do list.
Bonus: I turn on email notifications for Slack and other platforms so I can treat email as my central hub—reducing the need to monitor multiple tabs.
A Day in the System
Here’s what this looks like in practice:
8:45 AM – Open Asana. Check what’s already there from recurring tasks. Look at my calendar. Add any new tasks. Prioritize.
9:00 AM – Email sweep. Archive newsletters. Reply and archive quick responses. Convert anything longer into tasks in Asana.
9:15 AM – 12:00 PM – Meetings, work blocks. Take notes in Evernote. Capture new to-dos.
12:45 PM – Email pass. Inbox zero again.
1:00 PM – Lunch.
1:50 PM – Prep for afternoon meetings. Follow Asana prompts. Check mail once more.
3:00 PM – More meetings. Jot quick thoughts in Evernote.
4:00 PM – Back at desk. Process notes into Asana. Anything for tomorrow goes into “Later.”
5:30 PM – One last pass on email. Archive anything done. Inbox zero.
5:45 PM – Done for the day.
Why It Works
Is this overkill? Not for me. This system gives me clarity. It keeps my mind calm. I know I’m not forgetting things. I can find space to focus when I need it.
Most importantly—it helps me feel like I’m making progress. Even when the day is chaotic.
In Summary
As a manager, you’re often navigating chaos. You won’t have the same flow-state experience you had as a developer—but that doesn’t mean you can’t feel productive.
Create your own structure. Offload your brain. Use tools that support—not distract—you. And give yourself credit for the invisible work you do every day to keep things running.
Feeling unproductive doesn’t mean you’re failing.
It probably just means you haven’t found your system yet.
What’s yours?