7 Free Ways to Reclaim 10+ Hours a Week (Before You Even Hire Help)

Not quite ready to delegate? That’s okay, you can still make your week feel less chaotic with a few smart habits.

Here are 7 no-cost strategies to help with working smarter, not longer:

1. Batch your tasks

Instead of checking your email 20 times a day, try blocking off one or two chunks of time to handle it. The same goes for creating content or doing client calls. Batching helps you stay focused and reduces mental switching.

2. Create canned email responses

If you find yourself typing the same reply over and over, save it as a template. Gmail has a built-in feature for this. It’s a small change that adds up fast.

3. Automate scheduling

Tools like Calendly or Acuity allow people to book time with you based on your actual availability, eliminating the need for back-and-forth scheduling. Be sure to build in buffer time between appointments. This is perfect for catching your breath, grabbing a snack, or handling meetings that run longer than expected. It’s a simple way to protect your energy and your calendar.

4. Declutter your digital workspace weekly

Too many open tabs, scattered files, or duplicate documents slow you down. I recommend setting a 15-minute timer once a week to clean up your desktop, folders, or Drive. Giving your brain room to breathe.

5. Use keyboard shortcuts

It sounds basic, but using shortcuts for copy/paste, formatting, and navigation saves minutes every hour. Multiply that across a week, and it’s huge.

6. Use voice-to-text for notes and ideas

Have a great idea while driving or cooking? Use your phone’s voice-to-text feature and jot it down hands-free. You can send the note directly to your Assistant (if you have one) or save it to revisit when you return to your desk.

7. Schedule your social media in batches

Instead of posting on the fly every day, plan your content for the week and schedule it in advance. Even using a free scheduler like Meta’s Business Suite or Buffer can make a big difference.