What do you do if your time management skills need improvement in Executive Coaching?

Many of my coachees have shared time management to be a key issue for them. I give them fundamental reading on the Eisenhower Matrix. When people understand their time is going into the things that are less important for them, they can identify those activities and replace them with activities which are more important for them. In the coaching session, I lead them through their own activities and help them put these activities in the 4 quadrants. This always helps them identify those activities which need their attention and also those activities which they can discontinue, minimize or delegate.

Write down everything you do in a day. Do this for two weeks. After two weeks, go over the list and divide it into: 1. essential actions 2. time wasters 3. can be outsourced. Easy :-)

J'adore ce thème ! Experte dans ce domaine, voici ce que je ferai étape par étape : 1/ état des lieux complet : questionnaires, noter vos habitudes et identifier vos voleurs de temps internes et externes ! point A 2/ déterminer ensemble l'objectif à atteindre, appelé "état désiré" ! point B Imaginez une flèche/axe dessinée sur une feuille : pt A en bas à gauche - pt B en haut à droite ! sur cet axe je vais dessiner des petits traits, comme des étapes à franchir pour aller de A à B ! 3/ coconstruire un plan d'action (actions=étapes) ensemble pour aller du point A au point B ! 4/ réaliser des points réguliers lors de ce coaching pour voir l'avancée du projet ! 5/ rectifier si besoin la trajectoire initiale ! 6/ célébrer la victoire !

You're wise to start with a habit assessment. The first step is getting radically honest about how you're truly spending your hours and where the biggest leaks are occurring. Leaders I've mentored have found tremendous value in techniques like time tracking audits or daily journaling to identify inefficient patterns. For some, the pitfalls revolve around poor planning - they underestimate how long tasks take, fail to build in buffer time, or let the "urgency" of smaller tasks derail work on major priorities. Others struggle with distractions and context switching from endless emails and meetings. Procrastination from indecision or perfectionism is another common challenge.

Assess current habits by identifying which practices contribute or detract from productivity. Examine daily routines, focusing on how time allocate to tasks and activities. Pay attention to patterns of procrastination, periods of high distraction, and any tendencies to overcommit or underestimate task duration. This critical evaluation helps pinpoint specific areas for improvement, laying the groundwork for developing more effective time management strategies tailored to your unique challenges and goals.

In my experience, the first step is getting crystal clear on your key objectives and most important roles and responsibilities. What are the 2-3 critical areas that you absolutely must excel at to be successful and fulfilled? For many executives, this centers around high-leverage activities like strategic planning, talent development, revenue generation, etc. Everything else is secondary. From there, we establish a system for evaluating all demands and opportunities through the lens of those top priorities. Does this task or commitment directly fuel one of those critical areas, or is it more of a distraction? I teach frameworks like the Eisenhower Matrix to make these distinctions.

When working with clients on this, I guide them through a comprehensive goal-setting and backward planning process. We start by getting hyper-focused on 2-3 key objectives for the quarter or year - impact areas that will create exponential value if executed flawlessly. From there, we map out all the major workstreams and interim targets required to hit those goals. The next critical step is accurately estimating workloads and timeframes, while intentionally underestimating capacity by 20-30% to bake in buffer for inevitable fires. We proactively identify potential roadblocks and create contingency plans. Leaders often underestimate how long key pieces like analyzing data, getting buy-in, or dealing with obstacles can take.

Have a clear overview of the goals, breaking them down into actionable tasks. Allocate specific times for these tasks in your schedule, considering your most productive periods. Incorporate buffer times for unexpected tasks or delays. Use tools like digital calendars for reminders and to visualize your week. Prioritize tasks based on their alignment with your long-term objectives, ensuring that your daily activities contribute to your broader goals. Review regularly and remain flexible to adapt to new information or priorities.

Distributing tasks based on team members' strengths and capacities boosts time management. Identify tasks that others can perform and communicate clearly what is expected, including deadlines and any necessary resources. Trust your team to handle these tasks, offering support without micromanaging. Delegation not only frees up your time for high-priority activities but also empowers your team, building their skills and confidence. Regularly review delegated tasks' progress, providing feedback and appreciation for completed work. Mastering delegation ensures a more productive use of time, benefiting the entire team and advancing collective goals.

Leverage apps and software designed to streamline scheduling, task management, and communication. Tools like digital calendars, to-do list apps, project management platforms, and time-tracking software can help organize tasks, set reminders, and track progress. Embrace collaboration tools for efficient team coordination, reducing the need for lengthy meetings. Automate repetitive tasks where possible to save time. Choosing the right technology tools tailored to your needs and integrating them into your daily routine can significantly improve productivity and free up time for strategic tasks.

Executives often ask me, "How do I get the most out of a ten minute conversation?" Once mastered I've seen this skill transform their lives, reduce stress, and advance career opportunities. All you need to do is learn how to make a greater human connection. Learning how to be fully present improves effectiveness in every meeting. It's the key to building trust, and authentic relationships.

Is it truly a time management issue? Oftentimes time management is actually a procrastination problem. What are you procrastinating about? might be a more helpful and fruitful question to ask than spending 'time' implementing different time management techniques.

I think time management has the wrong title. You cannot manage time. We can manage ourselves. Every technique shared in the sphere of TM help to change a behaviour. But with addressing the behaviour first then the technique may not always work. Tackle the behaviour first. Behind every behaviour is a set if values and beliefs. i.e., if someone is perpetually late for everything then that won't change by buying them an alarm. If that person change's their value and beliefs around time then the maladaptive behaviour changes and then the alarm becomes an integral part of their lives.