The last three weeks have been crazy. I spent a week in Philadelphia with my Executive Leadership Team. We attended an Alignment Intensive seminar sponsored by Gap International. It was amazing and well worth the time. (I hope to write more about it later.)
However, I fell behind in my other work and have been working madly since then to catch up. An intense travel schedule has also added to the challenge.
Needless to say, something had to go. Unfortunately, that something was blogging. As much as I enjoy writing, it’s difficult to do unless you have time to think. In the interest of catching up and focusing on my other priorities, I have put it on the back burner—until now.
I’m just now starting to get my head above water. But as I look ahead, I still see quite a few challenges with my calender. So tomorrow afternoon, I am planning to go through my calendar and engage in a little triage. I’ve done this before and here’s how it works:
- Protect the basics. I will look at my top priorities and make sure I have allocated time for them in my schedule. I especially have to build-in non-meeting time, so that I have time to actually get my work done. I will schedule these as appointments. (This is particularly important in a corporate environment where it seems that every empty slot gets booked if not spoken for.)
- Eliminate the non-essentials. Sometimes I make commitments that seem to be important when I schedule them. However, after further reflection, I realize that they aren’t that important. So, to the extent possible, I am going to either cancel these meetings or see if I can handle them another way.
- Re-schedule some of what remains. Some things are important, but they are not important now. I like to get things done as soon as possible, but this some times works against me. So, I plan to go through my calendar and see what can be postponed without significant consequences.
Hopefully, with a little planning, I can regain my equilibrium and get back to regular blogging!
Building Champions has been coaching me since 2002. They have taught me to be more proactive and intentional in both my business and personal life. Visit their Web site to learn more and see their special offer for my blog readers.
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Marking non meeting time in your calendar sounds like a great idea! Are you still finding time to run? Following your example, I’ve started a daily workout and scheduled it in on my calendar to make myself do it. I go for a brisk walk with five pound weights in the cemetery behind our house. The place reminds me to pray and the hills make me work. LOL
I have a pronating foot so I needed a new pair of shoes. I almost went to the store and bought Nikes then thought, what would Mike do? He’d say to research the best shoe for my foot and try them on. I kept remembering what you said about keeping the knees straight too. I tried on different shoes and ended up with Sauconys. They’re fabulous for my workout!
But I had to make the workout a prioirity or I would never have done it. It was too easy to sit in my chair and start working every day. But I’ve been consistent now for about three months. You were such an inspiration to me to do it!
Colleen,
I am still running—about 18-20 miles a week. I feel great and love it! I buy my running shoes at a Fleet Feet store in Nashville. They watch you run and then recommend a pair of shoes based on your gait. I run in Sauconys, too, which I alternate with Newtons (see http://www.newtonrunning.com.
Blessings to you!
Mike
Mike, an adjunct to your #2 is being strategically absent from some meetings. Some teams actually function better without the boss in the room, and it frees up more time for me.
Thanks, Mike! Sounds like I should plan a trip to Nashville! I walk with weights about 15 miles a week so I’m doing better than I thought!
Thanks for giving us some great info and advice, your M.O. I blogged about my own busyness yesterday. Thanks again.
Kristy Dykes
Mike,
Thank you, thank you for being human and down to earth. I say it in a humble and appreciative way. It is rare for a leader to admit that one is filled with challenges and responsibilities and need time to regroup, evaluate, and plan.
Mike, thank you for sharing. We all experience inundation of life. However, it is in the pauses, it is in the quite moments, and it is the time with God that provide bearing in our lives. You are reminding us, especially me, to also take a time out.
Have a blessed week and time out. God bless.
Herman Villanueva
Honolulu, Hawaii
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That’s a dramatic use of the word TRIAGE and to be honest I had to look it up and got:
“A process for sorting injured people into groups based on their need for or likely benefit from immediate medical treatment”
I give you credit, a truly appropriate use of the word- to sum up your total sense of desperation- lol