Whole Foods Market CEO Jason Buechel has one primary tactic that keeps him productive, he says: time blocking.

"It's important that I time-block my schedule so I don't get stuck in meeting after meeting, and I can focus on Whole Foods Market's longer-term vision and strategy," he tells CNBC Make It.

The time-blocking method involves carving out specific windows of time for high-priority work tasks. Spending time in physical stores is a "big priority" for Buechel, for example, so he reserves time in his calendar each Friday to visit at least one location, he says. 

"Getting calendar bombed" by unproductive meetings can derail his day, he recently told LinkedIn's "This is Working" podcast and video series. Buechel's daily time-blocked schedule, though, means he's "only going to meetings that I really need to be there for" and that are "only as long as they need to be."

On a typical day, Buechel can have 10 meetings or more, he tells Make It. The company encourages staff to hold 20- and 50-minute meetings to free up 10-minute intervals in between — during which they can work on any action items just discussed.

He uses those 10-minute windows for running "ad hoc meetings with my direct reports or dealing with a pressing issue that might pop up," he adds.

An organizing method that can help you save 'hours'

Shekhinah Bass, head of talent strategy at Goldman Sachs, follows the time-management strategy to maintain work-life balance. Time blocking, or timeboxing, can provide a clear plan for your day and help prevent you from feeling overwhelmed by your to-do list, she told Make It last year. 

"It's helped me save hours in my workday," Bass said. "Creating space for yourself both to focus and recharge is really important not just for your career, but for your peace of mind." 

Having a packed calendar can lead to less productivity, according to Yale University psychology professor Laurie Santos. Feeling too busy can cause worse job performance and burnout, she said at the South by Southwest festival in March.

"I think we feel strapped for time because we think working ... as much as we work all the time is essential for achieving the things we want to achieve in life," Santos said.

To stave off this problem, Santos recommended giving yourself more time to work uninterrupted while not packing your calendar to the brim with agenda items. That can help you feel less busy, less stressed, and ultimately more productive. 

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