This is how CEOs (and other execs) use calendar management to save time

For CEOs, calendar management involves more than just scheduling meetings. It’s about reducing mental clutter and focusing on what truly matters. A well-managed calendar ensures executives are not only in the right meetings, but that they are also prepared and able to move on to the next task without distractions.

“Marieandree has identified and implemented ways to streamline my calendar and is always looking ahead to identify potential issues before they arise.” –David Brightman, SVP of Strategic Operations, Veho

Table of contents

This is how CEOs (and other execs) use calendar management to save time:

• How can calendar management free up mental space?
• What should be included in your calendar strategy?
• What tools can improve your calendar management?
• How can you start improving your calendar today?
• How does a CEO rely on his EA for more than just meetings?
• Conclusion

How can calendar management free up mental space?

Managing your own calendar often leads to wasted time and frustration, especially when scheduling conflicts arise. As one executive explained, what should be a simple task turns into a mental drain, with endless back-and-forth emails trying to find a suitable time. This not only takes up time, but also distracts from more important tasks.

A virtual executive assistant (EA) handles these details, making sure meetings align with your priorities and adjusting in real-time to avoid conflicts. Elizabeth, a trusted Viva EA, regularly shuffles meetings on short notice, saving her executives time and mental energy that they can direct to other critical tasks.

“[I’m having] significant time savings in planning, organizing, scheduling, coordinating + significant proactive attention to detail from Elizabeth (shuffling things in real time to help me with my schedule).” – Lauryn Motamedi, Head of Product Growth, Notion

What should be included in your calendar strategy?

A good calendar strategy involves more than just scheduling meetings. Here’s how an EA can add value:

• Focused time: Adnan Khan, co-CEO of Viva, schedules uninterrupted time every morning for deep work. His EA ensures these blocks are clear of distractions and notifications, allowing him to focus without interruption.
• Meeting preparation: EAs organize meeting agendas, gather materials, and ensure key attendees are prepped. 
• Proactive management: EAs anticipate scheduling conflicts and ensure the calendar reflects the most important tasks. 

“Vanessa has been a trusted partner and we’ve established an effective working relationship. She is going above and beyond to protect my calendar and give me leverage by assisting me in various tasks ranging from calendar and mail management, meeting organization and prep, and travel planning. I would feel less supported/protected if we no longer work together.” – Birkan Icacan, Head of Enterprise, Notion

What tools can improve your calendar management?

There are several tools to help optimize your calendar:

• Time-blocking apps: These allow you to categorize tasks and block specific hours for meetings, deep work, and reviews. Your EA can maintain these blocks and prevent double bookings. Some of these tools are Sunsame or TogglTrack.
• Notification management: On Macs, you can use the “Do Not Disturb” feature to mute notifications during focus time. Your EA can set a timer to ensure uninterrupted work sessions.
• Calendly: This tool helps you schedule meetings more efficiently by allowing others to pick a time based on your availability.
• Google Calendar: An EA can use this tool to color-code meetings, assign priorities, and share schedules seamlessly across teams. It also has a feature that reminds executives (and their teams) of upcoming meetings. Several automation tools connect with Google to upload to your calendar. 

How can you start improving your calendar today?

• Start small: Begin by compartmentalizing your calendar to quickly identify different tasks and reduce mental load.
• Set priorities: Use a priority system to decide which meetings can be moved or canceled if something urgent comes up. Download Adnan Khan’s calendar template for assigning priorities and share it with your EA.
• Delegate: The best way to free up time is to delegate calendar management to your EA, allowing you to focus on high-value tasks.

How does a CEO rely on his EA for more than just meetings?

Adnan Khan’s EA, Michelle, provides more than just calendar management. She handles travel planning, ensuring Adnan seat, flight, and hotel preferences are all honored. In a fully remote environment with a team of 125 people, Michelle also plays a key role in team engagement activities, acting as the point of contact for company staff. Michelle also supports with implementation of security protocols, upskilling team member’s abilities, or coordinating collaborative projects. 

Michelle also joins meetings, takes notes, and follows up with team members and stakeholders. She handles tasks that free up Adnan’s mental space, allowing him to focus on strategic work.

“[My experience at Viva] has helped with general organization of my schedule.” – Oluwabankole Falade, Chief Regulatory Officer, Flutterwave

Conclusion

Effective calendar management is about more than scheduling; it’s about aligning time with priorities. With the support of an EA, startup leaders can focus on growth and innovation, knowing the operational details are taken care of. As one executive put it, “It’s helped me make sure my time is used wisely.”

Ready to improve your focus and productivity? Book a call today and discover how an executive assistant can streamline your calendar management.

About Viva Executive Assistants

At Viva Executive Assistants, we don’t just talk about quality—we deliver it. We’ve refined our hiring process to select only the top 0.2% of exceptional talent, ensuring our executive assistants stand out in any fast-paced startup environment. Our commitment to excellence is backed by results: 92% of clients experience increased focus and productivity in under a week, with an impressive 9.3 NPS score from 100+ customers.

Viva Executive Assistants is the trusted partner of over 100 executives at fast-growing U.S. companies, providing proactive and resourceful EAs who help leaders thrive in their roles. Learn more about how we make this happen by looking at our Viva customer reviews.