Why Time Management Doesn't Work & What You Should Be Doing Instead

One of the main challenges that I have supported leaders with for the past few years has been how to manage "TIME" and how they can get things done without getting things slipping through the cracks.?

Leaders aspire to perform well. They want to help their team. They have great intentions, but they are bogged down by the number of hours in a day and the overwhelming tasks.

"I don't have time to do anything else. My calendar is so full."?

"I'm double booked. I don't even have time for a bio break sometimes."?

"I have a long To-Do list, and it's so hard to complete all of them."

There are many time management tools, and leaders have access to them at their fingertips. Yet, those tools didn't work well. Time Management is still a major problem for leaders and professionals that lead to a lot of stress and health issues.

So, what do we need to know about time management??

The truth about TIME MANAGEMENT is ... we can't MANAGE TIME.?

We all have 24 hours to spend in a day. How productive leaders get things done and achieve results is not how they manage time but MANAGE THEMSELVES.

The fact that we can't accomplish the results we want without burning out has to do with how we manage "SELF" and focus on what's important.

?To-Do List, the productivity paradox

Don't we love our To-Do list?

It helps us achieve tasks. Our To-Do list has been a great way to capture tasks as we have a lot to get done in a day, in weeks or months.?

?In addition to the need to be available to support your team, leaders take on a lot of things and quickly add them to the list.?

Often leaders allow all those tasks to pile up without zooming out to have a high-level view of what they should be focusing on to make more impact and results.

?Prioritize IMPACT

The To-Do list is very useful. However, it's there to remind you of all the tasks without prioritizing their importance. The truth is, You Will Not Be Able To Complete Your Checklist.?

Leaders feel great crossing things off their list to feel a sense of accomplishment. But critical tasks that you procrastinate to do are still hidden somewhere in that list. Along the way, you have a new project. So you put more tasks on that list and made the list longer. The vicious cycle will never stop.

What I typically ask leaders is...

"What are the top 3 tasks you can do today or this week/month to make the most IMPACT for you, your team, and the company?"

It's a question that can help you prioritize your critical task, project, or things you have to do and maximize your impact.?

You can also use the same question and apply it to the key goals or metrics that you want to achieve. It will also help you zoom out of your long list and have a strategic view.?

When you already know your strategic decision, then you can be more focused and tackle the most important and impactful task first.?

?I'd love to hear from you on how you apply this tip to help you be more productive.

Connect with me if you need to tweak your plans to suit your context.?

Email: [email protected]