Time management is a skill every leader needs to master in order to effectively lead their teams. Unfortunately, many leaders struggle with the challenge of finding the right balance between their obligations and the time they have available.
Research suggests that, on average, leaders spend nearly two-thirds of their time in meetings and on administrative tasks like paperwork. This leaves very little time for other activities like training, networking, and self-improvement, which are all essential to successful leadership.
So if time is short and the to-do list is long, what exactly is the solution?
Simple: stay organized and plan ahead. For starters, many leaders find it helpful to create a schedule for their week and stick to it. This will help ensure that they have time for all of the activities that need to be done. This may look like using a calendar application on your phone or a physical calendar for starters, but planning your day out in advance with as much detail as possible is a definitive way for leaders to stay on track and create a sense of accomplishment for each milestone achieved on the calendar
One suggestion would be to plan out every hour of your day for the work week. Plan when you will wake up, how long you'll have breakfast & coffee, and then how your work day will go. How long will you plan to respond to emails and voicemails? How long will you devote to project management or other leaders-only tasks? Plan an hour or two (or more) of helping your team with tasks they need to be successful. Finally, plan for the unexpected. If you know your job is full of surprise tasks, plan for them! Devote the time needed in your day to tackle the unexpected, and make it more...well...expected!
The next step would be to prioritize tasks. This is easier said than done, I know. But it is essential for leaders to have a firm grasp on what to prioritize each day. I notice many of my clients are good at prioritizing what needs to be done immediately for their team or themselves but struggle with the less urgent tasks like continuing education or other self-improvement tasks.
One tip for prioritization is this; do not let the lower prioritized tasks roll over too many days/weeks. Have a system in place for accountability when it comes to these tasks. Should it roll over on say, the 5th day - then it's time to plan for it to be accomplished. Also, consider pushing yourself to devote small chunks of time each day to yourself. If you can devote even as little as 10 minutes a day to personal development, you will then have almost 1 hour of it for the week!
Finally, it's important to take regular breaks. Breaks can help reduce stress and improve focus. Taking the time to relax and recharge can help leaders get the most out of their day. Consider the same 10-minute rule as above; perhaps you could work for 50 minutes uninterrupted, and take a 10-minute break to walk around, check your phone, relax your body, etc. Be sure to utilize your break time for meals and not for work! You cannot recharge if you are still using power.
Time management is not rocket science, but it does require some trial and error. That means you have to be willing to fail a few times before finding a routine that is successful. Try not to judge yourself too harshly when you do stumble, and build on the mindset that every experience - good or not so good - is an opportunity to learn for the next time. By doing this, you have raised your energy higher and thus increased your chances for success in your goals (i.e better time management).
Comments