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LIFESTYLE
- This is the time to review your “done” list for
urgent and non-urgent deliverables needing to be
completed and slotting the work time to produce
the deliverables into your calendar. It’s important
to be realistic with yourself on how much time is
needed to complete the deliverables and not set
yourself up for failure. Remember to ensure your
calendar includes all activity that consumes time
in your day.
Document what you plan to get done for the
following week - For items you are committing
to getting done, update your Friday planning
meeting for the next week to include the dones,
which you’ll review in a week’s time.
4. Make difficult calendar choices - If there
just aren’t enough hours in the week to get
things done, look to see what needs to change.
Perhaps it’s a change in due date or altering or
deferring other items in your calendar that are
taking up time. Whatever the case, be willing
to make some decisions about what you do and
who you meet with.
5. Find hidden time in your calendar - Are there
meetings you just don’t need to be at? Are
there one-hour meetings that can be done in
30 minutes? Can the frequency of recurring
meetings be reduced? Can some things be done
through offline communication, i.e. email? Ask
yourself where time spent in meetings can
be reduced or eliminated without materially
adverse business impact.
JANUARY - FERUARY 2021
6. Remember that you own your calendar, it
doesn’t own you - Certainly things may happen
during the week which could alter what you get
done (or when you do it). Don’t beat yourself
up if it does happen, just look at the frequency
and reasons behind the changes. If they’re
happening on an exceptional basis because
of unforeseen work hitting your plate, then
accept it as part of the job. If they’re happening
frequently, then it could be you’re either not
realistic in your planning or you’re allowing
yourself to be distracted. It’s up to you to
decide, just be honest with yourself.
A common thread through these principles is
discipline. You can put the best-intentioned
techniques in place but if you don’t follow them,
you’re dooming yourself to emails at midnight.
Seriously consider the principles, put your spin on
them, and put them into action.
Lonnie Pacelli is an accomplished author
and autism advocate with over 30 years
experience in leadership and project
management at Accenture, Microsoft,
and Consetta Group. See books, articles,
keynotes, and self-study seminars at
http://www.lonniepacelli.com
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