How to Manage Time Like a Top 1% CEO

Name: How to Manage Time Like a Top 1% CEO
Uploaded: 2026-04-12T15:01:33Z
Channel: Codie Sanchez

April 12, 2026 | 3 products mentioned

Codie Sanchez host

Watch on YouTube time management deep work productivity systems prioritization calendar auditing meeting efficiency sleep optimization

Codie Sanchez breaks down the time management system she uses to run multiple companies, write, travel, and maintain a personal life—proving that top performers don't need more hours, just ruthless prioritization of what actually moves the needle. The episode centers on a GPS check framework that separates leverage work (compounding activities), support work (maintenance), and noise, then provides 15 tactical systems (from pre-planning days to walking meetings) that protect deep work and prevent reactive chaos. This is worth watching because Sanchez reveals the specific calendar audit that exposes how much time most ambitious people waste, plus concrete habits stolen from Fortune 500 CEOs.

Key takeaways

• Plan your day the night before (non-negotiable 15-minute ritual) to stay intentional instead of reactive, and build a priority list rather than a to-do list—the former forces real trade-offs when you can't do everything.
• Protect your first 3-4 hours after waking as premium real estate for leverage work (strategy, high-stakes decisions, creative output), and block email/Slack entirely during this window—your brain loses decision-making quality by 3 p.m. due to decision fatigue.
• The GPS check—a weekly 1-hour audit where you label each calendar event as R (revenue), G (growth), L (leverage), or N (noise)—typically reveals 50%+ of your time goes to noise, making it one of the highest-leverage hours you can spend.
• Sleep is non-negotiable performance infrastructure, not time theft; establish an evening wind-down ritual (soft clothes, low stimulation, transition cues) because sleep deprivation impairs your prefrontal cortex and forces critical decisions while cognitively "drunk."
• Use asynchronous communication (Loom videos or Slack messages) as your default instead of unscheduled meetings, train your team that "Got a minute?" actually costs 20, and hold walking meetings when sync is necessary—Stanford research shows walking boosts creative output 80%.
• Batch recurring tasks (hair/makeup during meetings), bring work to you instead of commuting (in-person studio), and block one mid-day hour for approvals/check-ins—every commute in your workflow is a leak that kills momentum.