PERFORMANCE
LTEN is always a great way to get a read on what’s happening across life sciences training. The network events and publications offer new tools, fresh thinking and practical takeaways to strengthen your training impact.
One session that stood out to me at the 2025 LTEN Annual Conference was titled “Peak Performance: Master the Art of Time and Energy Management.” It was a good session, well run and thoughtfully delivered. But it wasn’t just the content that stuck with me — it was the reminder of how much time management shapes performance, especially for leaders, trainers and sales professionals.
After the session, I found myself reflecting on a few key rules I’ve used over the years — drawn from thinkers like Dan Kennedy, Dan Martell, David Allen and Stephen Covey, but adapted through lived experience.
Here are five of my time management rules:
We all get 1,440 minutes a day and around 29,000 days in a lifetime. That number hits differently when you’re on the back half.
Time isn’t just a resource; it’s your life. Once that sinks in, how you spend your time becomes a reflection of who you are. Time is more valuable than money and managing it well starts with treating it like it matters.
Most people think about goals in terms of work. I think about goals in terms of legacy. What are you building? Who are you becoming?
Your calendar should reflect that. Move past career checkpoints like “graduate school” or “promotion.” Start by asking how each week brings you closer to the impact you want to have.
There are hundreds of time management methods; it doesn’t matter which one you follow. Pick one you’ll use, whether it’s a planner, a whiteboard, a calendar app, a legal pad or a mix.
What matters is:
Prioritize what’s important.
Schedule it.
Stick to it.
If it’s not on the calendar, it doesn’t happen.
When I led a training team, I hated seeing four trainers pulled into the same meeting. I’d mentally calculate the hourly cost, and it wasn’t pretty.
Time spent sitting in meetings is time not spent building, creating or supporting performance. Be honest about the return on your time. Learn to say no. Push back when it’s not a good use of your day.
Back when I was in sales, I used to assign a dollar value to each sales call. If I missed a doctor, I knew what that cost me. That mindset still applies.
You probably only have four or five highly productive hours each day. What are those hours worth to you? Dan Martell’s Buy Back Your Time reminds us: You don’t need to do everything. Outsource where you can. Cut tasks that don’t move the needle. Protect your high-impact hours.
That LTEN conference workshop was a great spark — but these are the rules I live by.
Time management isn’t about getting more done. It’s about making time work for you and putting your energy where it matters most. If you’re not intentional, your day gets filled by other people’s priorities. If you are, you can lead with purpose — and create more impact with less stress.
Keith Willis is president of Core Management Training. Email Keith at kwillis@coremanagementtraining.com or connect with him through linkedin.com/in/keithawillis.
