I was at my bank’s automated teller machine recently. As I was putting my card, money, and receipt away the machine beeped at me and displayed the message, “Do you need more time?”
Darn right! I enthusiastically pushed the “Yes” button and waited. No more time came and the machine just stared at me.
Okay, maybe a little silly, but asking that machine for more time is equivalent to many of the books and lessons on time management. Something that always struck me as a little odd with these instructions was the insistence on controlling your calendar. The experts tell us we must restrict who can task us and when. That’s probably possible if you’re self-employed, but is nothing but a dream if you work in a company of any size. In fact, I found that as I rose to higher leadership positions, I actually had less control of my calendar, not more. So, what’s a leader to do?
Take a look at the calendar for a typical week. It has meetings, appointments, projects, etc all over it. Look at the time that isn’t committed though. It may only be 15 minutes here or 30 minutes there. Sometimes even less, but when you add it all up, it probably comes to a couple of hours a day. Use that time wisely. I used to think senior leaders were rude when they wouldn’t “fit me in” when they had a little time. Experience has made me understand how valuable those little bits of time are.
Understand what wastes your time. In today’s world the two biggest time wasters are the computer and the smartphone. More specifically, the email, text messaging, and social media they allow. I suggest you turn off all the little sounds that notify you when email or other messages appear. Set times when you’ll check for them, then avoid the temptation to constantly look. You may have to train others that you aren’t constantly on the lookout for their next message, poised to respond.
Use your people! No, I don’t mean that in a negative sense. I mean, take advantage of their talents and expertise. Leaders who try to do everything themselves will fail in the end because no one can do everything. Use them wisely! That’s why they’re there. And here’s an added tip. They want you to use them.
There’s one more thing I think is critical. Take time off. Some leaders wear unused vacation time like a badge of honor, but they come to regret it later in life. Everyone needs a little time off occasionally to decompress and recharge. In fact, time off will make you more efficient when you return to the job.
Most leaders can’t control a lot of what happens to their time. But, by a little behavior modification, they can be much more efficient with what they do control.
Bob Mason is dedicated to leadership development. He works with companies to solve problems by helping supervisors and managers become more effective leaders leading more productive teams. He is a professional speaker and author of Don’t Worry, You Can Do This: What New Supervisors and Managers Need to Know About Leadership; The Art of Not Motivating: How Leaders Can Succeed by Understanding the True Nature of Motivation; Balancing the Generations: A Leader’s Guide to the Complex, Multi-Generational, 21st Century Workplace; and Planning to Excel: Strategic Planning That Works.
A 30-year career in the U.S. Air Force exposed him to great leaders and leadership opportunities such as command of four squadrons, including the Air Force’s largest munitions squadron. He has studied leadership extensively, but more importantly has been there, working with real people, making hard decisions, and experiencing the results.
Contact Bob at Bob@BobMasonSpeaker.com or 505-453-5266
