I used to have a boss who would rush into our meetings in a state of frenzy with her laptop in one arm and a pile of papers in the other.

She’d go off about how she didn’t have enough time in the day as she propped open her computer and clicked back and forth between emails and websites. 

Her hurried, distracted state continued throughout our time together. And I’d do my best to address the rapid stream of thoughts and questions thrown at me before she moved on to her next obligation of the day. But as soon as she left, I’d collapse into my chair feeling exhausted and frustrated.     

I was initially excited to work for this woman who was ambitious, creative, and incredibly intelligent. Yet I came to find she was always running on a hamster wheel of anxiety, stress and worry that not only impacted her productivity and wellbeing, but also that of her team. 

While she did, indeed, have a fair amount on her hands, I also observed the specific behaviors she upheld that kept her in a constant tizzy. 

• She was not able to accomplish a lot in the meetings she attended because she wasn’t giving her full attention or outlining clear objectives at their onset.
• Her schedule was packed, but it included several hours of micromanagement work with entry level employees.
• And whenever something new came up she eagerly took it on. 

She wished she had more time, but that desire kept her blind. 

The truth is, time is finite.

We can’t create more of it or save it for later. And to my knowledge, we still haven’t been able to travel into the future or past. So we need to make the most of the hours and minutes that we’ve got. This begins by awareness and pragmatic solutions, not hoping for more numbers on a clock.  

So, to start…

1. Get Clear on Your Priorities

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression, “People make time for the things that matter to them.” 

To a certain extent, this is true. If you don’t feel like you’re able to set aside time for what’s important to you, I want to remind you that you always have the power of choice. There very well may be some risks and consequences to altering your schedule or commitments. I don’t want to diminish the challenge, but I also encourage you to think of the bigger picture at play  right now and what’s at stake.

It doesn’t have to be radical either. Small, consistent dedications can be much more profound and sustainable than large sporadic efforts. Try setting aside some silent, focused time in the morning or putting the priority you haven’t gotten to in your calendar as if it were a meeting – and find an external accountability partner if you want that extra support!

2. Say No 

Drawing on the points I made earlier that we only have so much time to work with and it’s key to set aside time for our priorities, I want to bring up the simple act that many of us avoid at all costs – saying no to requests or opportunities.

Boundaries are necessary for our health and productivity!

They’re being challenged even more these days with an increase in working from home situations, but it’s critical to uphold some space for you and what you deem important!

If you can’t completely turn something down, is it possible to push it off to a later time or delegate it to someone else – at least partially? Get creative!

3. Be Present

Notifications and pings on your laptop, phone, and iWatch can be helpful at times, but my gosh they can also be distracting! If you can, turn them off! Have faith in the fact that the world will not end if you do not check a message right away. Create an auto email response saying you’ll respond within 24 hours or whichever time frame you set for yourself and allocate specific slots in your day for addressing your inbox, calls and social media. 

I know meetings can be painful and seem pointless at times, but you also have control in those matters more often that you may give yourself credit for. If you’re in charge – set an agenda and keep those involved on track. If you’re an attendee, pipe up with goal-oriented questions or determine whether you need to be a participant moving forward.

4. Get Organized

I acknowledge this a rather vague suggestion, but I want to emphasize there are structural things you can do with your calendar, meeting outlines, and software to support your efforts to stay conscious of your time and true to your priorities. 

Try tracking your work with a tool like Toggl to really up your productivity awareness and gain deeper insights about what’s taking your attention. There’s definitely a psychological factor to starting a timer every time you sit down to do something too!  

5. Be Proactive

The more you can outline what you’re going to do for a meeting, your day, or an even longer period of time, the more you can align your actions with your goals and increase your probability of staying on track! Utilize structures for support and practice saying no to things that aren’t priorities.           

I know you’re an action-oriented leader! So next time you find yourself caught up in wishful thinking, hoping you had more time, shift your thoughts to what you wish you could do with that extra time and get practical! You may not be able to control the clock, but you can choose how you set up your schedule and how you use the hours you’re given in a day!