How to Be a Sure-Fire Master of Your Time
You’ve probably heard or seen leaders that seemed able to do it all. They are very successful running their companies, serving on non-profit boards and have time left to attend their son’s baseball game and their daughter’s dance practice.
Where do they get the time?
It is now a fact of organizational life that executives must manage others and themselves simultaneously. All organizations are learning organizations if they are to survive. Thus, executives need to be learning executives.
Change is inevitable, and behavior must be modified from time to time.
Executives resist change as they are subject to their own psychological defenses. Too often they prefer a closed feedback loop, to an open one. However, it is the open feedback loop that supplies much-needed feedback and insight to act upon.
Without data executives simply fall back on historical responses.
To become a better person, you must become a better manager of your time. We all have the same amount of time. Yet, some are more fruitful than others.
How was your day?
Each day is an opportunity to start fresh and should be planned accordingly. Today I spent some time reading a book titled, Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead, by Brene Brown Ph.D. Taking from her lead, I will become vulnerable and share with you my typical day. It is still a work in process as I keep refining my schedule trying to become better at mastering my time.
My typical day.
5:30 a.m. I wake up, get a glass of water and freshen up for exercise.
6:00 a.m. — 7:30 a.m I walk down to a nearby mountain trail.
During the walk, I divide my time up into different activities that are aligned with my personal goals.
I allocate time to listen to audible books for my professional development.
I listen to scriptures, spiritual talks, and southern gospel music for spiritual nourishment and strength.
I will also spend some time listening to the news or other types of music based on my mood. Sometimes it classical music, while other times it might be rock music. (You know I did major in music. I am a Tenor.)
7:30 a.m. — 8:00 a.m. Morning ritual, shower and dress for work, and personal prayer
8:00 a.m. — 8:30 a.m. Breakfast at home if no business breakfast meeting
8:30 a.m. — 9:00 a.m. Drive to work (According to my mood, I can get in more learning time by listening to more audible books.
9:00 a.m. -10:00 a.m. Workday start-up ritual, check email, social media accounts, prepare activites for the day
10:00 a.m. — 12:00 p.m. One on one or group coaching (executive coaching)
12:00 p.m. — 1:00 p.m. Business development/marketing/operations activities
1:00 p.m. — 2:00 p.m. Lunch
2:00 p.m. — 6:00 p.m. Executive Search Client Activities
6:00 p.m. — 6:30 p.m. Workday shutdown ritual (empty email inbox, review my activities that need to be moved until another day, identify my daily Big 3 important tasks for tomorrow.
6:30 p.m. — 7:00 p.m. Drive home
7:00 p.m. — 8:00 p.m. Dinner with family
8:00 p.m. — 9:30 p.m. Personal time (Netflix time)
9:30 p.m. — 10:00 p.m. Evening ritual, review next days appointments, prepare clothes for tomorrow.
My schedule may not work for you. The important thing is that you identify your top 7 to 10 goals for the year, then turn those goals into smaller chunks. Then, incorporate the necessary time in your days to accomplish those things that matter the most to you.
Would you believe that my daily schedule helps me to accomplish my business goals, personal health, and fitness goals, spiritual goals, family goals eytc.? It really does work.
How about sharing your schedule with our readers, we’re dying to know what your schedule looks like.
