Less control, more trust: secrets of productivity from Ukrainian top entrepreneurs

Time is the most scarce resource for a modern leader. Strategic tasks, dozens of meetings, team leadership, and personal life all require a clear focus, flexibility, and energy. How executives manage to stay productive and avoid burnout under constant stress?

LIGA.Life asked Ukrainian CEOs and entrepreneurs about their personal time management practices – no templates or guide books. Only what they follow every day: priorities, rituals, pauses, and honest conclusions about productivity.

Personal rules of time management: how to organize your day effectively and maintain productivity in a manager's routine

Oksana Belyaeva, CEO of the international media agency OMD Optimum Media Ukraine:

My main rule is not to try to live by a book about perfect time management.

My day is not a list of tasks, but a system of priorities. I always have a maximum of three key points per day: one strategic, one team, and one personal. The rest is as much as possible.

And one more thing: I always leave space in my schedule. Not "for later," but consciously, for thinking. Because leadership is not about the number of calls, but first and foremost about the vision and quality of decisions. If there is no "air" in the day, then the decisions are superficial. Delegation and trust in the team are the main tools in my arsenal.

I try not to lose the most important things: energy, clarity of vision, contact with the team, a healthy rhythm and time for myself. Because "I did everything but burned out" is not a victory.

Lev Zhidenko, co-owner of the Aurora multimarket chain:

To be honest, I have never tried to "do everything".

My time management starts with a simple question: "What am I here for? And what exactly do I have to do?" I either delegate everything else or don't do it at all. I am practically not involved in the day-to-day operations – there is a great CEO and a strong team for that. My area of responsibility is strategy, values, culture, and people development. And the most important thing is to see the point where a problem can become a breakthrough.

Learning is not a hobby, it's a way of thinking. I don't just read, I re-read. There are books that, like a good tool, open up in a new way every time. For example, Stephen Covey's 7 Habits. Sometimes ideas come from books, sometimes while driving, sometimes in conversation. That's why I keep my mind open. Literally and figuratively .

Trust is also an economy. The more you trust people, the less time you spend on control. Yes, it is sometimes painful. But it's even worse to carry everything on your shoulders. At Aurora, we are building a company that lives not "with the owner's permission" but with its own focus.

Culture relieves the burden. Because when a team performs not only tasks but also shares values, a leader does not need to micromanage. In our country, it is interaction instead of hierarchy, common sense, and the right to make mistakes. I believe that efficiency is not a discipline, but an attunement.

Flexibility is normal. Sometimes I go "into the field". For example, I recently did an internship in a store, where I learned a lot of things that would never be said at a Zoom meeting. Roles should be flexible – otherwise we cement processes instead of developing them.

And a bit of experience. Once I felt that I had stopped seeing the "big picture". Because I was bogged down in meetings "by inertia". I simply told the three teams that were systematically meeting: "no". And freed up six hours a week for myself.

And at Aurora, we also use the ASAICHI practice – daily short team meetings that help synchronize. For me, it's also a way to find out how the team lives: what they talk about, where they are "hurting," where they are headed.

So I don't try to do everything. I try not to lose the main thing. And time... time is always not enough. But when you have a focus, it's enough.

Taras Panasenko, co-owner of the Aurora multimarket chain:

For me, the day doesn't start with mail or urgent tasks, but with setting goals.

There are two or three things that should move the business or team forward. I keep them in focus. It's not about a 20-point to-do list, it's about focus and clarity.

I divide my day into blocks: for decisions, for the team, and for myself to think. Because thinking is an important part of the job. If you don't set aside time for it, you quickly find yourself in a chaotic and reactive mode, instead of building something meaningful.

I don't keep everything to myself – there is a team, and everyone knows their area of responsibility. Delegation is not a weakness, it is about trust and responsibility. My task is to create conditions in which everyone can maximize their potential.

Nina Dombrovska, co-founder of Beehive Cosmetics, co-founder of Women on Boards Ukraine, former president of Henkel Ukraine:

For me, the key is structure plus movement.

I start the day with sports: a short workout or jog is my way of "turning on" my brain and body. I plan the most important meetings and complex tasks for the morning, when I have the most energy.

Lunch is not just a meal, it's a reboot. I don't like to eat lunch at the computer – it's better to go outdoors, take a walk and give myself a 30-minute break. I often combine online meetings with movement: a phone call and a walk are the perfect combination.

Another rule is that I never postpone a trip or travel. If there is an opportunity to change the environment, I don't hesitate. But I don't "switch off" completely: I just work from there, with new air in my head.

Maria Nazarenko, CEO of Budynok Igrashok, former marketing director of Comfy:

I always identify one or two priorities that are key for the business and the team right now.

Everything else either waits or can be delegated. When the day is busy and everything seems to be important, I go back to focus and honestly ask myself: is this moving us where we are going?

Periodically, I analyze: not tasks, but meanings. What I worked on in the last period (week, month) really brought value and what kind of value? If the answers are unclear, this is a marker that you need to change your priorities. And one more thing: I don't believe in the pursuit of "doing everything". For me, it is more important to have time for the main things and keep a high level of energy at the same time .

Rituals and tools without which they cannot imagine their working day

1. Oksana Belyaeva, CEO of the international media agency OMD Optimum Media Ukraine:

My most important ritual is a proper morning, which always includes sports, cold washing, orange juice and a fresh look at planning the day.

I wake up before everyone else because I need at least half an hour before the world wants anything from me. During this time, I am not in touch, not in tasks, not in the expectations of others. This is my space where I prioritize my tasks .

Another principle: no decisions "on fatigue".

If I feel overwhelmed, I stop, regroup, and don't put pressure on myself. It's not a weakness, it's a strategy. Because a leader is not someone who squeezes the maximum out of himself, but someone who knows how to keep himself and the team in line.

2. Lev Zhidenko, co-owner of the Aurora multimarket chain:

Sometimes you read the advice of successful CEOs and catch yourself thinking: it's something between a yoga manual and the launch of Amazon.

I'm a little easier. I don't run at 6 am. I don't meditate. I don't eat avocado and chia for breakfast. If the day starts without five urgent calls, it's a ritual.

But there is one thing that really keeps you on your toes.

A question I ask myself all the time. Sometimes out loud: "To do what?".

Not as a joke, but as a safeguard. So that you don't waste your day on "supposedly important" things. So as not to drive yourself into a marathon without a finish line. So as not to lose the meaning of "moving" activities. Because it's very easy to confuse workload with productivity. And even a useful action taken from the wrong focus can lead you in the wrong direction.

This one question reminds me why I'm here and what's really important. And sometimes the best ritual is to go to bed without scrolling through one more chat before going to sleep. Because when you don't get enough sleep, "so what?" doesn't help.

3. Taras Panasenko, co-owner of the Aurora multimarket chain:

Running. It's a sport. It's not about form – it's about focus and endurance. Going for a run in the morning or evening to give yourself a workout will change your mind.

The day does not start with chaos, but with yourself.

There is another simple but powerful ritual: sit down and write down three or four main tasks for the day. No frills, no water. Just what needs to happen. If you start to get bogged down, open it, look at it, remember why you're here.

And lastly, I try to reduce communication in email and messengers. When you are constantly distracted by notifications, you lose the ability to think strategically. Chaos and involvement in all processes prevent you from focusing on the really important things.

4. Nina Dombrovska, co-founder of Beehive Cosmetics, co-founder of Women on Boards Ukraine, former president of Henkel Ukraine:

I have a few things without which my day doesn't work properly. The first is a good, tasty meal. For me, it's not just about calories, it's about taking care of myself. A good lunch is like a well-charged phone: you last longer and work better.

The second is a change of scenery.

It is important for me to move: to switch between locations, offline and online, cities, countries. Even a short walk changes my focus and gives me new energy.

Third, people. I really appreciate communicating with those who are easy, funny, deep, or inspiring. It's like a mental vitamin for the day.

And finally, working with energy. I am constantly learning to remove from my mind what "eats up the battery" and vice versa – to leave time for what recharges it. This is my internal compass, especially in the role of a leader.

5. Maria Nazarenko, CEO of Budynok Igrashok, former marketing director of Comfy:

My must-have is regular one-on-one meetings with colleagues who lead key areas in the team. As well as joint meetings about statuses, plans, and challenges, if any. This is the rhythm that keeps the strategy alive and avoids long delays in case of problems. There is no substitute for personal contact and vision alignment.

I really like time-saving tools: electronic document management, tracking in Jira, organizing tasks in a planner, Trello, or Worksection, and I'm increasingly using AI assistants. It's not just "fashionable," it really reduces routine and allows you to do what matters.

I'm all for flexibility: if a tool doesn't work, I try other tools. If the team doesn't accept it, we adapt it and come to an agreement.

But the tool should help, not hinder and complicate, or make the implementation of projects and tasks longer.