Time Management: An Essential Skill for Top Performers
Stacy Rowe • October 16, 2024
Time Management: An Essential Skill for Top Performers
By: Stacy Rowe
How many times a day or week do you say…I don’t have enough time for that?
We all have the same 24 hours, 1440 minutes, and 86400 seconds in a day. So why is it that some people are able to accomplish so much more than others?
YOU GUESSED IT – TIME MANAGEMENT!
Okay so now we know what the difference maker is, let’s discuss some time management. This is a good time to get out some pen and paper or click on the note’s app on your phone. Let several things that you need to get done over the next few days or weeks. I’ll give you a minute.
Okay, you’ve made your list. Now you are going to make everything on the list with an I for IMPORTANT or an NI for NOT IMPORTANT. What does this mean because everything is important and it all has to get done, right? Keep reading.
- IMPORTANT to-dos or responsibilities are ones that contribute to the achievement of your goals.
- NON-IMPORTANT to-dos or responsibilities are ones that DO NOT contribute to the achievement of your goals.
Alright, now you want to consider your list and decide if the items on it are URGENT or NOT URGENT. You can have very important items are your list, but perhaps they are not urgent or non-important items on your list, but they are very urgent.
Urgent responsibilities require immediate attention. These are often linked to the accomplishment of someone else’s goal. Ignoring urgent issues will have negative consequences. For example, you have a parent that is unhappy with their instructor and is in your office demanding a meeting right now. You must take the meeting because it is good customer service and you don’t want an unhappy customer, but this meeting is time spent not working to achieve your goals of starting a new program at your facility. It is an urgent meeting, it is necessary, but it isn’t moving the needle so to speak.
After you have assessed your list you want to consider the following things:
- Items with important deadlines and high urgency need immediate attention; this cannot be helped. Unfortunately, these tend to be crises, pressing problems, projects that are deadline-driven, emergencies, or things that require last-minute preparations.
- Items with high importance but do not have urgent deadlines. These are items are usually planning, preparing, and training. The more you can add items like this to your agenda and plan far in advance, the more you are working toward your goals. The items from #1 will slow you down from #2, so you want to do everything you can to get out in front of those items and see the smoke before there’s fire, you know the old saying.
- Items that are both not important with high urgency are distractions. Assign these to someone else if you can. These tasks do not contribute to your goals and they take energy away from tasks that will have a positive impact on your business.
- Items that are not important and are not urgent basically yield no value to your objectives. They are time wasters for you and should be eliminated when possible.
Here are some additional things that you can do to help you along the way in your time management journey:
- Question if an activity brings your closer to your goals. Consider the four statements above and categorize you to-dos.
- Prioritize tasks that bring you closer to your goals versus tasks that do not.
- Plan ahead as much and as far as possible. The more you can live in this space the less distractions you will have.
- Always sort your to-do list. This will help you identify what needs your attention, what can wait and what you can delegate to someone else.
Good luck and happy planning!
Stacy Rowe is the Senior Vice President for Premier Athletics. She started with Premier Athletics in 2001 when began as the gym manager in Clayton, NC. Stacy was the 2014 USASF Coach of the Year and has coached many cheer and dance teams throughout her career. Her teams have earned several Gold, Silver, and Bronze World Championship placements and she understands the work it takes to be successful.
She is passionate about teaching others to build their business. Stacy is a jack of many trades. She is a wife of 24 years and a mother of two teenagers, Avery and Jon. In addition, Stacy is an award-winning author. Her pen name is S.R. Fabrico. She has won awards for several novels. She also has a series of sports journals for athletes. Her genuine wish is to help athletes set goals, track their season, and enjoy the journey.
"You're either on top of the world... or questioning everything." That quote from Casey Jones captures what competition weekends really feel like for gym owners and coaches. In this MotUS Edge podcast episode, the team dives into the emotional roller coaster that comes with competition season: the thrill of a perfect routine, the sting of a narrow loss, and the leadership it takes to navigate everything in between. As the season builds to its peak, this conversation is a timely reminder that strong leadership doesn’t just show up on the mat—it shows up in how you lead your people through every high and low. 1. The Reality of Competition From the outside, competition weekends look like celebration and sparkle. But inside the arena, gym leaders know the truth: it's long days, emotional swings, and enormous pressure. Athletes and coaches invest months for moments that unfold in minutes. And the aftermath can feel brutal. As Casey shares, a coach whose teams earned second place—after battling last-minute injuries—walked away feeling like a failure. That Monday slump is real. This isn’t about being dramatic. It’s about being honest: competition weekends take a toll. 2. Leadership Isn’t Just Strategy—It’s Emotional Management At the heart of this episode is a call to lead with presence and perspective. When one coach is riding the high of a win and another is quietly questioning their place in the program, leadership is knowing how to show up for both. “Your staff is like your kids,” says Stacy. “You’ve got to celebrate one and lift up another—all in the same dinner.” Leading through events means managing energy, emotion, and expectation—not just strategy and score sheets. 3. How to Ground Your Program During Big Events 1. Normalize the Ups and Downs Wins and losses aren’t always a reflection of effort. Remind your staff: they’re great coaches even on hard days. Create space for them to decompress and reset. 2. Frame the Weekend Before It Starts As Cole shared, unrealistic expectations lead to unnecessary disappointment. Whether you're a seasoned program or first-time finalist, set clear definitions of success before you walk in. 3. Coach Your Coaches Don’t assume your staff knows how to handle feedback, parent questions, or emotional fallout. Equip them with scripts, support, and perspective. “Feedback is a gift,” says Stacy. “And if we treat it that way, we all get better.” 4. What About the Parents? Competition weekends amplify parent stress too. Hair, travel, money, food, emotions—it all collides in high-pressure environments. And when expectations aren’t managed, small things become big conflicts. Kevin reminds us: “Your parents reflect your attitude. If you're calm and focused, they’ll follow your lead.” 5. Redefine Success Too often, we tie the quality of a season to one event. But as Casey shared, some of his teams won all season, placed second at NCA, and still saw it as a failure. Meanwhile, others won their final event and called the season a win—despite early losses. It's time to redefine what success looks like: Did your athletes grow? Did your staff stay healthy and connected? Did your program culture stay strong? Did you model resilience and professionalism? If yes—you’re winning in all the ways that matter. For the Gym Owner: Practical Actions to Take Now Hold a staff huddle post-event – Let emotions settle, then debrief together. Reset goals for the final leg of season – Refocus your coaches and teams. Coach your parents – Communicate clear expectations and support protocols. Reinforce shared success – Celebrate the behind-the-scenes effort, not just the outcome. Build rituals for bounce-back – Give your coaches and kids emotional tools to recover and refocus. Why This Matters Now In an industry obsessed with the win, this episode is a rally cry for perspective. Great programs aren’t just built on banners—they’re built on emotional intelligence, cultural clarity, and consistent leadership. "Customers will never love a company until the employees love it first." – Simon Sinek Make your coaches feel seen, supported, and valued—and they’ll show up better for your kids. Listen, Learn & Lead Forward Catch the full conversation here: YouTube Apple Podcasts Spotify Then join us at the MotUS Business Expo, Sept 28–30 in Nashville. The leadership, community, and coaching support you’ve been craving—all in one place.
Owning a gym can feel like a never-ending grind. But it doesn’t have to. The key to freedom isn’t working harder—it’s working smarter . And that starts with systems. Let’s talk about the top systems you need to get out of the weeds and into the visionary role your gym deserves. 1. Scheduling: Automate Your Calendar Use tools like Calendly, Google Calendar, or class management software to eliminate the back-and-forth. Set recurring team meetings Automate trial class sign-ups Create time blocks for admin vs. creative work Bonus: Protect your "off time" like it’s sacred. Because it is. 2. Onboarding: New Hires Done Right Create a step-by-step onboarding system that includes: Orientation checklist Video trainings Culture manual Weekly check-ins Why it matters: The faster your team is up to speed, the faster you can delegate. 3. Delegation: Build a Leadership Ladder Stop trying to do it all. Identify tasks you can train, trust, and transfer. Admin? Delegate. Social media? Delegate. Warm-ups? Delegate. Your job is vision, not micromanagement. 4. Communication: Say It Once Use a central platform (Slack, Band, Trello) to communicate consistently. Create channels or boards for: Team updates Weekly goals Parent communication templates Stop repeating yourself. Start systemizing. 5. Billing + Admin: Automate the Back End Use platforms like Jackrabbit, iClassPro, or Studio Director to: Auto-bill tuition Track attendance Send reminders Less time chasing payments = more time leading. Bonus: Weekly CEO Time Block 1-2 hours a week for high-level strategy. No interruptions. No "quick questions." Use it to: Review metrics Brainstorm growth strategies Plan your next move Final Word: Freedom Comes From Systems The goal isn’t to do less work—it’s to do your best work . The kind of work that grows your gym, inspires your team, and energizes you. Start small. Pick one system to build this week. Because when your business runs on systems, you don’t have to run on empty.
Owning a gym can feel like a never-ending grind. But it doesn’t have to. The key to freedom isn’t working harder—it’s working smarter . And that starts with systems. Let’s talk about the top systems you need to get out of the weeds and into the visionary role your gym deserves. 1. Scheduling: Automate Your Calendar Use tools like Calendly, Google Calendar, or class management software to eliminate the back-and-forth. Set recurring team meetings Automate trial class sign-ups Create time blocks for admin vs. creative work Bonus: Protect your "off time" like it’s sacred. Because it is. 2. Onboarding: New Hires Done Right Create a step-by-step onboarding system that includes: Orientation checklist Video trainings Culture manual Weekly check-ins Why it matters: The faster your team is up to speed, the faster you can delegate. 3. Delegation: Build a Leadership Ladder Stop trying to do it all. Identify tasks you can train, trust, and transfer. Admin? Delegate. Social media? Delegate. Warm-ups? Delegate. Your job is vision, not micromanagement. 4. Communication: Say It Once Use a central platform (Slack, Band, Trello) to communicate consistently. Create channels or boards for: Team updates Weekly goals Parent communication templates Stop repeating yourself. Start systemizing. 5. Billing + Admin: Automate the Back End Use platforms like Jackrabbit, iClassPro, or Studio Director to: Auto-bill tuition Track attendance Send reminders Less time chasing payments = more time leading. Bonus: Weekly CEO Time Block 1-2 hours a week for high-level strategy. No interruptions. No "quick questions." Use it to: Review metrics Brainstorm growth strategies Plan your next move Final Word: Freedom Comes From Systems The goal isn’t to do less work—it’s to do your best work . The kind of work that grows your gym, inspires your team, and energizes you. Start small. Pick one system to build this week. Because when your business runs on systems, you don’t have to run on empty.
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