Originally published on Inc.com.
David Finkel, bestselling author and CEO of Maui Mastermind, has been a regular contributor to Inc. Magazine for over a decade. 
This article is one of his latest pieces featured by Inc.

If there’s one resource business owners can never seem to get enough of, it’s time. Yet, in my years of coaching entrepreneurs, I’ve found that most have more time available than they realize. The challenge is that it’s hidden in busywork and inefficient routines. By zeroing in on where your hours are slipping away—and making intentional changes—you can reclaim at least five hours every week. That’s five hours you can re-invest in growing your business.

Audit how you are spending your time. 

I recently worked with a client who ran a successful online retail company but was struggling to keep up. Her days ran from early morning to late evening. Inventory checks, social media updates, supplier emails—everything landed on her plate.

When we first talked, she was on the brink of burnout. The idea of reducing her workload by five hours a week seemed impossible. However, after a deep dive into her processes, we spotted multiple tasks that didn’t truly require her involvement.

My client and I started with a basic time audit. For seven days, she recorded how she spent each hour. The results were eye-opening. Roughly half her time—more than 20 hours a week—went to tasks like sorting minor customer inquiries or triple-checking social posts.

Create time-blocks for designated tasks. 

Once we documented everything, we grouped activities by value. Low-level tasks that didn’t truly need her personal touch (like filtering emails or scheduling social media) became candidates for delegation or automation. With those tasks identified, we created what I call focus blocks: specific, uninterrupted periods—usually two to three hours—dedicated to big-impact activities.

For my client, that meant product development, meeting with her marketing team on strategy, and building relationships with high-volume suppliers. By deliberately protecting these blocks on her calendar, she shifted from being reactive to proactive. Her attention went to tasks that directly boosted the company’s revenue and brand presence.

Delegate tasks to your team.

Delegation also played a major role. My client hired a virtual assistant to handle routine emails, order confirmations, and social media scheduling. While it took effort to train someone else, she found that it saved her at least one to two hours a day.

That alone freed up nearly 10 hours a week, far surpassing the initial five hours we projected. She now uses part of that reclaimed time to analyze new product trends—something that’s already opened up fresh revenue streams.

This mindset shift will add five hours back to your workweek.

Of course, simply delegating and blocking off your calendar doesn’t always eliminate time traps. My client still had to learn to say no to certain requests and become comfortable letting someone else solve smaller issues. The key is to shift your mindset from “I must handle everything,” to “I focus on what drives the most impact.”

Along with delegation, my client set up short weekly check-ins with her assistant, ensuring tasks stayed on track without needing constant oversight.

If you, too, are overwhelmed, start by tracking your hours for a week. Pinpoint your biggest time drains—often tasks that are repeated daily or weekly, especially administrative chores. Consider how to delegate, automate, or eliminate them.

Then, create focus blocks for your highest-value work. Guard these time slots: turn off notifications, close your email, and be unapologetic about your boundaries.

Regaining five hours per week is not just a productivity hack. It’s a strategic shift in how you manage your business and your life. Those extra hours give you space to plan, innovate, and actually enjoy the company you’ve built—rather than feeling controlled by it.

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