Pings.
Meetings.
Last minute asks.
Your day fills up.
The work that matters waits.
Noise is anything that moves your time
but not your results.
A short story
A founder I coach felt busy all day.
She answered every message.
She joined every call.
Revenue did not move.
We changed one habit.
She asked one question before saying yes:
“Does this move my top outcome for the week?”
If no, she scheduled it later or said no.
Four weeks later, the pipeline doubled.
What is noise
- Work without a clear owner.
- Tasks with no deadline or result.
- Loops that repeat the same issue.
- Urgent asks that are not important.
- Meetings without a decision.
Name it.
Then cut it or contain it.
The IMPACT filter
Ask these six questions:
I — Intent: What result will this create?
M — Must: Is this essential or nice to have?
P — People: Who truly needs me here?
A — Action: What is the next concrete step?
C — Cost: How much time will this take?
T — Timing: Why now and not later?
If you cannot answer, it is noise.
Say no without drama
To a peer
“I am focused on X this morning. I can do this at 3 pm. Will that work?”
To your team
“This does not move this week’s outcomes. Let us park it for Friday.”
To your boss
“I can take this on. Which current priority should I drop to make space?”
To a vendor
“Thanks for reaching out. This is not a focus for us this quarter.”
Polite. Clear. No apology for protecting impact.
Plan your yes
- Pick one outcome for today.
- Define done in one line.
- Block 60 to 90 minutes.
- Start with a small slice you can finish.
- Share what you shipped.
Yes is a promise. Keep it.
Tools that help
- A simple one-page tracker:
Week outcomes, today’s one thing, parking lot. - A WIP limit: only two active tasks at once.
- Two windows for messages: midday and late afternoon.
- A meeting rule: no agenda, no meeting.
For managers
- Publish the three outcomes for the week.
- Cut low value work. Merge duplicate efforts.
- Protect team focus blocks.
- Approve fast. Clarify fast. Decide fast.
- Praise finished outcomes, not heroic hours.
For remote teams
- Write decisions. Share them in one place.
- Use async updates. Reduce surprise calls.
- Record short Looms instead of long meetings.
- End the week with “What moved” notes.
One minute prep
Before you start, write three lines:
- Outcome: what will be true when done.
- First slice: the smallest step that creates progress.
- Block: when you will do it.
If you cannot write it, you are not ready to do it.
Tiny action now
Open your calendar.
Cancel one meeting that has no decision to make.
Use that hour to move one slice of your top outcome.
Share the win.
The bigger frame
Awareness shows the noise.
Leadership protects the mission.
Execution finishes what matters.
Say no to noise.
Say yes to impact.
Repeat tomorrow.