You have the same 24 hours as a Fortune 500 CEO. So why does it feel like they’re building empires while you’re just clearing your inbox? Because high performers don’t manage time. They defend it. Relentlessly. Executives who run billion-dollar companies. Don't rush. They don’t multitask. They're not constantly checking email. Their calendar? Locked down like Fort Knox. Every hour has a purpose. Here’s what top CEOs do differently: 1. They start with clarity. Every decision flows from priorities. Not preferences. Not emotions. Not other people’s chaos. They wake up knowing what moves the needle. And what just makes noise. 2. They schedule thinking time. Yes, they block space just to think. No meetings. No screens. No fires to put out. Because big problems don’t get solved in reactive mode. They need margin. 3. They make fewer decisions. The more trivial choices you make, the less energy you have for meaningful ones. That’s why they simplify: Same clothes. Same meals. Same routines. Not because they’re boring. Because they’re focused. 4. They don’t do everything. They delegate, automate, or delete anything that doesn’t require them. Because time spent on what only you can do isn’t efficiency, it’s leadership. 5. They protect the 1st hour. Before the world demands their attention, they claim it for themselves. No Slack. No email. No news. Just strategy. Stillness. Or a run at 5 AM. 6. They treat meetings like money. Is it essential? Is it clear? Is it the best use of everyone’s time? If not, cancel it. Or make it an email. Or make it 15 minutes instead of 60. 7. They say no (a lot). Because every yes is a no to something else. Often, something more important. Here’s the truth: Top CEOs aren’t superhuman. They just stop giving their best hours to the wrong things. You don’t need their title. But you can steal their time habits. Try this: • Block time for your most strategic work. • Trim meetings down to half the length. • Say no to things you’d never say yes to if your calendar were empty. You’ll feel uncomfortable at first. But you’ll also feel clarity. And eventually, control. Because time isn’t just what you spend. It’s what you become in the hours you protect.