This time of year, I try to put healthy time management practices into place, because I know this year is going to be no different than last year. As the quote above hints: Too much to do + Too little time = Stress. Being one of the most popular topics in my leadership development classes, I thought I’d share with you 5 unique tips I’ve gleaned from these leaders for what I call a time-rich lifestyle.
Create your to-be list (not just your to-do list): Your to-be list clarifies goals you have for your life, and therefore it guides you toward what is important for you to do. It’s very similar to the way your values act as guideposts for the decisions you make. If you are familiar with the Eisenhower priority matrix of Important x Urgent, having your to-be list helps you focus on what is ‘Important for YOU to do’ because it helps shape you into what you want to become.
One thing: I got this tip from a Senior VP at Xerox (Thank you Jim). I was facilitating a leadership development workshop, and we had just covered this topic in class. Jim joined us to have a question-and-answer session with these early high potential leaders. One of the participants asked him, “what do you do to manage time effectively?” Jim shared that as he’s driving to work in the morning, he asks himself this: what is the one thing that, if I do it today, will have a significant impact on the business of Xerox? Then he commits to getting that one thing done, today, no matter what. Isn’t that an excellent question? What’s the one thing that you could accomplish today that would make an impact on your life and the lives of others? It doesn’t have to be a big one thing. It just must be done.
Balance periods of focus with periods of rest: Remember that your brain, like your body, needs periods of rest to maintain optimum performance. Research says we can concentrate for about 2 hours before stress sets in. Make sure you schedule breaks of about 10-15 minutes every couple of hours so your frenzied brain can return to your focus brain. We’ve all had this experience: we’ve been working and working and working on something, when finally, after making no progress, we give up. Perhaps we stretch, get a snack, or talk to a colleague for a few minutes. And what happens on the way back to our desks? Dingdingding! There’s the answer. Your frenzied brain had taken over. The break allowed your focus brain to return. Give yourself breaks, especially when you give up your precious evening time to work. Do it in what I call energy intervals: set a timer and give work just 90 more minutes tonight. After that, stop and feel good about what you’ve accomplished; you’ll get more done in the morning if you get a good night’s rest.
Learn to Say No (thank you): This tip is so hard for many of us, particularly when we feel guilty about possibly disappointing someone else – or, more positively, when we want to help others. However, the reality is, you can’t do it all. There just isn’t enough time. You must be committed to your priorities and decline other requests. A few ideas to help you say yes to what matters most:
No vs. Yes: Remember, you are saying no to one thing so you can have time to say yes to something you’ve already chosen as critical. Your critical priorities make a difference in your life and the lives of the people you serve.
Seek Support: Find someone (a partner or close friend) to remind you not to commit to anything more. Sometimes my husband lovingly puts it this way: “I forbid you to take that on.” Although he would never really give me an order like that, I appreciate his firmness in reminding me of my goals.
Redirect: Recommend someone else who might be a great fit for a task. Encourage and mentor that person.
Prioritize: if one person, such as your boss, is giving you many “important” things to do, insist that s/he help prioritize them for you. One way to begin is to provide your boss with a realistic expectation about what you are 100% confident you can complete, 75% confident and 50% confident. These estimates are a great way to transition the conversation into other resources you might need to get more done.
And finally, remember there really is too much to do each day, so enjoy the struggle of the juggle. Because we have just twenty-four hours in a day, we can live with intention. We can choose to spend our time on activities that have meaning for us, are on our to-be list, refuel our energy to run the good race and permit us to spend time with those we deeply love.
