-Insights-
From Overwhelmed to Optimized: Taking Control of Your Time
Time is one of the most valuable assets in any advisor’s business. Yet many advisors feel pulled in too many directions, spending hours each day on tasks that don’t directly support their clients or growth goals. Research shows that financial advisors spend nearly a quarter of their time on administrative work such as meeting preparation, note taking, and follow up. That’s time pulled away from the part of the job that matters most: spending meaningful time with clients.¹
The good news? You can take back control of your time, and you don’t need to overhaul everything to do it. By combining proven time management strategies with intentional planning, you can simplify your workflow, reduce distractions, and focus on what only you can do: deliver trusted advice and build lasting relationships.
The Real Productivity Challenge
Time management isn’t just about doing more. It’s about doing what matters with intention.
Yet advisors face recurring pitfalls:
- Procrastination, especially around tough conversations
- Multitasking, which drains energy and reduces focus
- Lack of prioritization or delegation
- Ineffective task management, often caused by unclear processes or roles
Structure Builds Capacity
One approach that consistently helps advisors regain control is time blocking. It is not just a scheduling technique. It is a mindset shift. Instead of reacting to your day, you start by allocating specific hours to your highest-value activities. That might mean setting aside mornings for client meetings or carving out Friday afternoons for business development. The key is to treat those blocks as nonnegotiable. Advisors who protect blocks for focused work often report feeling less overwhelmed and more present with their clients.
Your calendar should reflect your business priorities. Buffer time at the beginning and end of your day helps absorb the unexpected. Grouping similar tasks, like scheduling internal meetings, back-to-back minimizes context switching and improves efficiency.
Another powerful shift in mindset is moving from being available to being accessible. Being available means anyone can claim your time at any moment. Being accessible means, you can be reached, but on your terms. That small change in mindset helps you stay in the driver’s seat.
Tip: Every hour of your week is a choice. Make your calendar reflect your true priorities.
Rethink Your Task List
Think of your workload like a closet. Some tasks are essential and should stay with you. Others can be delegated with a little training. Some should be outsourced, like investment management or marketing. And some, like that pair of jeans from 1986, don’t belong at all.
Evaluating where your time goes is an essential first step. Consider having your entire team track tasks for a two-week period. This creates a clear picture of who is doing what, and which activities could be reassigned or eliminated.
Cerulli (2023)2 reports that advisors who outsource investment management reclaim nearly 190 hours each year. That time can be reinvested in client work, prospecting, or leadership. What could you do with that time?
- Keep the tasks only you can do
- Delegate what a team member could own
- Outsource for better efficiency (e.g., investment management or marketing)
- Discard anything that doesn’t move the needle
This is also where your tech stack should be working for you. Ask:
- Who owns each task?
- Is there tech that could streamline it?
- What can be automated or templated?
The Foundation for What’s Next
The best advisors I know have replaced “I don’t have time” with “that is not a priority”. They have intentional systems, a clear sense of priority, and the courage to let go of what no longer serves their business.
Once you’ve established these foundational time management practices, you’ll be ready to explore how technology, particularly AI tools, can further amplify your efficiency and help you reclaim even more time for what matters most.
Sources & Resources:
1The Kitces Report (Vol. 2, 2024), “How Financial Planners Actually Do Financial Planning” https://www.kitces.com/kitces-report-how-financial-planners-actually-do-financial-planning/
2Cerulli Associates (2023) U.S. Advisor Metrics
InvestmentNews Research (2022) “2022 Pricing & Profitability Study”
Think Advisor (2023) “How Advisors are Spending Their Time Now” https://www.thinkadvisor.com/2023/04/27/cerulli-how-advisors-are-spending-their-time-now
FOR ADVISOR USE ONLY. NOT INTENDED FOR CONSUMER SOLICITATION PURPOSES.
Beacon Capital Management, Inc. is an investment adviser registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Additional information about Beacon Capital Management is also available on the SEC’s website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov under CRD number 120641. Beacon Capital Management only transacts business in states where it is properly registered or excluded or exempted from registration requirements.
Information presented is for educational purposes only and does not intend to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments or investment strategies.
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NJS – 082025