In my post last week I mentioned how Stephen Covey outlines how effective leaders use their time by staying in quadrant II of his urgency-importance chart. You can see the whole chart in his book First Things First. Covey’s approach is a sound one, and I have referred to this chart many times over the years. In fact, I keep a copy of it on my desk. By staying in quadrant II, I have found that I use my valuable resource of time to the fullest.
As a long-time leader, I am always aware of how I use my time. As I said, it is an extremely valuable resource, and the one which you can never get back once it is used. I have read countless books on how to use time more effectively and I’ve tried just about everything I can find in order to make every moment profitable. In addition to using Covey’s approach, I have found that I can be at my best when I am keenly aware of how my time use fits into three specific areas. I categorize my time use in three ways. Everything I do fits into the categories of time invested, time spent, or time wasted.
Of course, the best way to use time is to invest it. This means that whether it be five minutes or hours, there is the potential of a return on my investment. This can range from investment into making my organization operate better to time invested in my personal growth or health. There are many great ways to invest our time, but the best is the time that I invest in the people I lead. There is no better way to help people achieve their hopes and dreams in life than for a leader to pour themselves, and their time, into the lives of the people. Every time I sit and listen, offer input, or teach, there is an investment into the future of not only their life, but mine as well.
The second category is time spent. This is where doing something for fun comes in. Some might say that fun is more a time waster, but I beg to differ. Sometimes a leader needs to spend some time hanging out with the team, having fun, and connecting. Also, often time spent is valuable on a personal level and necessary to stay sane and alive while dealing with the rigors of leadership.
Finally, time can be out and out wasted. This is the category that should be avoided, and in which our discipline has to come. There are lots of ways we can waste time, and I’m sure we can all make a list, so I won’t here, but you know the things that kill your productivity and waste your time.
I stay aware of how I use every hour of my day. I try to mostly invest, sometimes spend, and try my best to avoid waste. I encourage you to do the same.
Lead well.