It’s early Monday morning and I’m looking at my schedule for today.  All the typical things are fighting for my attention and need to be completed:  yoga, devotions, coaching sessions, proposal submissions, a keynote speech prepared, a power point presentation created, list of people called, copy reviewed, part of a chapter written for the book, thinking and reviewing the business plan draft for 2010, a run to the doctor for some shots, an AA meeting attended and the squid cleaned and prepared for my husband to cook.

I looked at the list and thought, “That’s a weird looking list.” (The squid that put it over the top.)  I realize three days of work needs to be done today, as usual.

Of course, what I really want to do todayis go have coffee, hike up through Forest Park, read the new “Wired” magazine and “Psychology Today” and take an afternoon nap in the grass below the Rose Garden. That probably won’t happen. Not today, anyway.

Then of course, comes the distracting but necessary “administrivia”: the bank deposit, Fed-exing documents out, paying bills, getting the newsletter finished and out, some research, and the homework done for a class I’m taking.

Here’s the real question: What WILL get done today?

That depends.  It depends on my priorities, my self-discipline, my efficiency, and my flexibility.

First of all, by looking, you can tell I need an assistant. The assistant could run the errands (other than taking my shots for me).  I have been working as my own assistant (let’s get real, if you don’t HAVE one, you ARE one) since 2004 when I moved back to the northwest from California.  It has been a good experience to have to learn to do all kinds of things, especially technologically, that I was unable to do without my staff prior.  But it has become old and is beginning to get in the way now.

Next, you can probably see that self-care is an issue.  The shots, whether I get them today or set a day and time this week, are ready and need to be obtained. The AA meeting must not be put off.  Is it because I’m crazed, running around looking for a drink?  Heavens, no.  It’s so I DON’T get that way.  It’s a discipline, like going to the gym.  The devotions and the yoga are the same.  Will I die if I don’t do it?  No.  I need to make sure I am in the right frame of mind and body to face the day.  It will help me be the most efficient I can be, and help me keep my bearings as to what’s important in life and how to handle the unexpected things that come up.  And unexpected things will come up, trust me. My friend Brenda calls it “when the bananas hit the fan”.

Next are the activities that are already commitments on the schedule that I must perform myself : the coaching sessions.

Beyond that, I must prioritize by thinking three ways: What’s the most important, what’s the most urgent, and what’s in the critical path? What balls can I easily and quickly get into someone else’s hands and off my plate?

Here’s where we separate super performers from mediocre performers: How we prioritize. 

Is there a right or wrong way? That depends.  Some questions to ask might be the well known four “D”s. (Dump, Delegate, Defer, or Do).  Also, what’s going to bite you in the butt tomorrow if it’s not done today? (that’s called doing the urgent). And of course, What’s holding someone else up from being productive if you don’t get your share done and pass it along? (critical path) And lastly, what is the most important thing you can do today to support your mission, vision, and strategic plan? Ideally, that is the action item that gets completed, even if it’s the only thing you get done today. 

Today, for me, that’s the book chapter draft.  If I get my self-care items done, do my coaching sessions, and write the draft, it will be a successful day.  I will, of course, set two other prioritized items hoping to get to them, but I will leave room for the possibility that nothing else gets done, as unexpected bullets fly through the room, and my step-daughter calls with a crisis from the college admissions office at the last minute (knowing she is possibly unprepared). My husband may call with some request. The bank deposit?  It can wait. So can the bills and the homework for today.

Tomorrow is another day.

So, what’s the bottom line?

1. None of us will get everything done today.  If you do, you don’t have enough responsibility. So, don’t set yourself up for impossible results if it leaves your frustrated at the end of the day.
2. If you don’t take care of yourself, you will not be able to physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually be there for anyone else when they need your help.  You will also become less productive and efficient.
3. How you prioritize is up to you.  If you are stuck in the urgent vs important cycle, it is very taxing. We’re all in it some of the time, but the idea is to keep doing at least one to three of the important things each day, and leave yourself the mental space of knowing you will have to put out some fires now and then.
4. To determine what’s important, you need to be clear on your vision, mission, and strategic plan.  Your tactics and activities will be driven out of the vertical alignment of the plan.  If you are not clear on the plan you will spin your wheels. Revisit your plan.  If you don’t have 2010 in front of you, it’s time.  Ideally, you have a penciled-in 3 year plan you also have your eye on.
5. Slow down just a little.  You can be more productive and efficient when you are thinking clearly,  If your hair is on fire, you’re not thinking clearly.  Worse yet, if you are the leader, and your hair’s on fire, you’re probably not noticing your team is panicking, disengaging, and running on 2 cylinders.

Thinking is the most important part of a leadership position.  If you are too busy doing, you will not think enough.  Give your brain the opportunity to think.  Strategizing, making decisions, and handling problems quickly are part of your leadership skills.  Let me know how you do!

Tags: Efficiency, executive coaching, Increasing Productivity, Leadership, Leadership Skills, Productivity, Self Care, Thinking, Time Management

This entry was posted on Monday, August 31st, 2009 at 6:38 am and is filed under Best Practices, Brain, Brain Function, Business Coach, Business success, Disengagement, Executive Coach, Executive Performance Coach, Executive pERFORMANCE cOACHING, Ideas, Leadership, Leadership Development, Leadership Skills, Management, Management Consulting, Mental Iron, Productivity, Thinking, Time Management, Vision, executive coaching, overwhelmed. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.