If only we could be rational when allocating our time

Time is a critical factor in any coaching engagement, and it is often where our relationship with productivity and performance comes to light. Reflecting on how we allocate time, our perceptions of its value, and the timeframes we set for deliverables can reveal significant insights about our working practices.

Consider common sentiments expressed in coaching sessions: “If I had the choice, I would allocate less time to meetings,” or “I struggle with concentration on days I haven’t exercised.” These statements highlight a potential disconnect worth exploring, whether it involves our values, goals, or stakeholder relationships.

Raising Awareness of Choice

A fundamental aspect of my coaching process is to help individuals recognize the power of choice. We often give ourselves permission to make conscious, rational choices that align with our goals, yet we may also fall into patterns dictated by long-standing norms and conventions. My approach integrates insights from both high-performance research and two decades of navigating corporate environments, where these norms can feel all-consuming.

Some conventions are so deeply ingrained that they lead us to believe that choice is limited, or that making alternative choices comes with significant consequences. One particularly effective technique I use is to play back the choices being made in real-time.

The Coaching Conversation

Coach: “You mentioned that your best ideas come on days when you have uninterrupted mornings?”

Coachee: “Yes! I love those mornings. Having two hours to think, generate questions, and analyse data from different perspectives is invaluable.”

Coach: “Is two hours the ideal amount of time? What else contributes to making that time ideal for you?”

Coachee: “It’s essential that I’ve exercised first. I also need access to the right resources, and I prefer being in a different setting away from my desk, ideally in a meeting space with a whiteboard.”

Coach: “How often do you achieve this ideal scenario in a week?”

At this point, there’s often a long pause, followed by explanations about recent challenges and busy weeks that aren’t representative of a typical schedule. This leads to a crucial exploration of choices and their rationality.

Coach: “How critical is idea generation to your role?”

Coachee: “It’s a core component - maybe the core component.”

Coach: “Yet you’re only creating the ideal conditions for idea generation less than once a week?”

Coachee: “Yes, but there are so many demands on my time.”

Coach: “I don’t doubt it. But how many of those demands actually support your core pursuit of idea generation?”

Silence ensues.

Coach: “I’m not judging; I’m challenging you to consider whether you’re making a rational decision about your time allocation.”

By prompting someone to confront such a disconnect, we introduce cognitive dissonance - an opportunity for them to reconcile conflicting beliefs and actions. This often leads to practical discussions about current strategies, such as context switching, time-blocking for deep work, and reducing distractions, all while being mindful of energising habits for an optimal workday or week.

Reflection Activities for Deeper Exploration

If you are interested in delving further into this topic, consider engaging in the following reflection activities:

Your Impact

• Why does your role exist?
• If we spoke one year from now, what differences would your contribution have made?
• How might that evolve over the next five years?
• How would you organize yourself or your team to achieve that vision?
• How will you involve stakeholders in this journey?

Your Time Allocation

• What is your primary responsibility at work?
• If you could categorize your work into three to six distinct areas, what would they be?
• How is your current time allocated across these areas?
• What would your optimal time allocation look like?

Your Optimal Conditions

• I know that I generate my best ideas when…
• I am most productive when…
• My decision-making capacity improves if…
• This could be a ten-year pursuit rather than a two-year one if I changed…

Understanding our relationship with time is crucial for sustained high performance. Reflecting on whether our time allocation decisions are rational or not, is a pursuit I would encourage everyone to set aside time for.