The 4 F’s: How High-Performing Entrepreneurs Use Their Time

The CEO Time Shift: How to Work Less and Achieve More

If You’re Working This Much, You’re Doing It Wrong.

Let’s get real for a second.

Did you start your business to have more freedom… or just to give yourself a job where you work 24/7?

Because if you’re still stuck in the weeds, answering every email, fixing every problem, and wearing all the hats—you’ve built yourself a job, not a business.

And let’s be honest—that’s exhausting.

If you ever want to scale, take a vacation without your laptop, or (gasp) actually enjoy your life again, you need to stop managing your time like an overworked employee and start managing it like a CEO.

Because the truth? The most successful entrepreneurs don’t work more—they work on the right things.

And that’s where the 4 F’s of Time Management come in.

The 4 F’s: How High-Performing Entrepreneurs Use Their Time

One of my mentors taught me this framework years ago, and it changed everything.

Every successful entrepreneur spends their time in four key areas—but the difference between struggling business owners and thriving ones?

➡ Struggling business owners live in Frontline mode (the daily grind).
➡ Successful CEOs shift their time into Focus, Flex, and Free.

Here’s the breakdown:

🔥 Frontline – The in-the-weeds work that keeps the business running.
🎯 Focus – Deep, strategic work that actually moves the business forward.
🔄 Flex – Space for problem-solving, leadership, and big decisions.
☕ Free – Time to recharge, step back, and think at a high level.

Most small business owners? They spend 80-90% of their time drowning in Frontline tasks—handling customer service, managing employees, putting out fires, and reacting to problems.

But the most successful business owners? They flip the ratio—spending less time in Frontline and more in Focus, Flex, and Free.

The Hard Truth: Why You’re Stuck in the Grind

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, overworked, and underpaid, here’s why:

❌ You’re spending way too much time in Frontline mode—doing work someone else could or should be doing.
❌ You haven’t set up systems to step away from the daily grind.
❌ You think “If I don’t do it, it won’t get done right.” (Spoiler: That’s a lie.)

Your business is stuck at the level of your time management.

Want to scale? Want more freedom? Want to stop feeling like your business is running you instead of the other way around?

You have to change where your time is going.

How to Start Spending Your Time Like a CEO

If you want to work less while growing your business, you need to shift how you invest your time.

Here’s how:

Step 1: Audit Your Time (Yes, Actually Do This)

For the next 5 days, write down every single thing you do in your business.

At the end of the week, categorize everything into:
✅ Frontline – The in-the-weeds stuff.
✅ Focus – Revenue-generating strategy work.
✅ Flex – Leadership and decision-making.
✅ Free – Rest and recharge time.

Chances are, 80% of your tasks will be stuck in Frontline.

Which leads us to Step 2…

Step 2: Cut, Delegate, or Automate Like a Boss

Look at your Frontline tasks and ask yourself:

🔹 Does this task require me specifically?
🔹 Can this be automated or outsourced?
🔹 Will this still matter in a month?

If the answer to the first question is no, it’s time to delegate or automate it.

✅ Customer emails? Set up canned responses or hire a VA.
✅ Social media DMs? Create an auto-response + delegate follow-ups.
✅ Scheduling? Use an online booking tool instead of playing email tag.

Your job isn’t to do it all—it’s to make sure it all gets done (without you having to touch everything).

Step 3: Protect Your Focus Like a CEO

Your Focus time is where the magic happens. It’s the work that actually moves your business forward.

Block off dedicated Focus time every week for:
🎯 Big-picture strategy
🎯 Marketing and revenue growth
🎯 Systemizing operations so you can step back

And guard it like your business depends on it—because it does.

Step 4: Build Flex & Free Time (Yes, You Deserve It)

CEOs don’t just work—they think, plan, and recharge.

If you’re always in hustle mode, you’re running on fumes.

✅ Flex Time – For making big decisions, solving problems, and leading.
✅ Free Time – So you don’t burn out (because no one does their best thinking when they’re exhausted).

The more time you put into Flex & Free, the less time you’ll need to spend fixing problems later.

What Percentage of Your Time is in Each Category?

Take a hard look at your calendar and ask yourself:

✔ What percentage of my time is spent in Frontline work?
✔ How much Focus time am I actually getting?
✔ Am I constantly reacting, or do I have space to make strategic moves?
✔ Do I have any Free time—or is burnout right around the corner?

If your time is out of balance, you don’t need to work harder.

You need to work differently.

Your Next Move: Start the CEO Time Shift

If you’re tired of working more but never feeling caught up, this is your sign to change how you spend your time.

👉 Step 1: Track your time for 5 days.
👉 Step 2: Find 3 things to delegate, automate, or cut.
👉 Step 3: Block out Focus time—and protect it.

This isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing the right things.

So—where do you go from here?

🧨 It’s time to start working like the CEO you know you’re meant to be.

Need help making the shift?

That’s exactly what I do inside my coaching retainers. Whether you need 1:1 strategy, accountability, or a full roadmap to reclaim your time, I can help you step into CEO leadership—without burnout.

📌 Apply here to work with me → [APPLY HERE]