There is just not enough time in the day…

If we had magical powers and could extend the day to 26 hours, would we have enough time to get everything done?  We tend to argue that we would fill up those two extra hours with new to-dos and there still wouldn’t be “enough time in the day”.  But, we are open to opinions.

Instead of wishing for an extended day or waiting for our magical powers to appear, maybe we could explore ways to be more intentional with the hours we have.  Here are a few things we have been thinking about at Pathmakers…

  • Is it time to explore with your team things that you can “start, stop and continue”? How could you be more efficient? What tasks could you eliminate? What is a good use of your time?
  • Can you intentionally ask your team for new and innovative ways to do what you do?
  • Can you find 2-3 things that you currently do that you could coach another person to do? Maybe you could provide them with an opportunity for growth and development.
  • Could you stop multi-tasking (yes, you read that right)? Being present not only helps you establish connection with and commitment to others, it also assures that you are hearing what is being said and understanding the decisions that are being made in a conversation/meeting.
  • Could you practice having direct conversations and encourage others to do the same? This will eliminate time spent in meetings after meetings, questioning or making assumptions about what others said, and worrying about situations.
  • Could you try more face-to-face conversations instead of back-and-forth email for extended periods of time?
  • Would short, regular (daily, weekly, monthly) meetings with your direct reports create increased communication and efficiency?
  • Are there things you should be saying “no” to instead of continuing to say “yes”?
  • Would it be beneficial for you to set aside a specific time each day to work on your goals and set priorities to help manage your time and talent better?

When you hear yourself saying “I just don’t have enough time in my day,” we encourage you to take a step back, challenge yourself, and read the questions above. Start with identifying one way in which you can create more time in your day…without finding any “magical” hours.