Importance of Time Management: Skills
Importance of time management cannot be overstated. How can a CEO take control of their time? Take control of their calendar? And navigate diversions that are pulling him or her away from their daily duties and tasks? It starts with time management. Time management for a CEO is not much different from time management for anybody else. Except that, a CEO’s job description includes high-level activities. Such as working on strategy, and visioning, and high-level decisions. 30,000-foot perspectives, and doing things that need a focus and a particular mindset.
Time Management: Eliminate Distractions
This calls for a tactical type of position. So, that means creating a discipline where you’re not responding to distractions. This includes :
- Text messages
- Emails
- People knocking on your door
- Fires that are going on in the organization
Navigating these low priority distractions is also critical to steering your ship. Say you’re not up on top, steering the ship in the direction that you’re going. Then you will bounce around on the ocean and end up someplace you didn’t want to go.
In our one-to-one sessions, we also talk about the critical factors. Factors such as, what’s your job description? Whose job are you doing every day that’s not a part of your job description? And how do you create the discipline, and the boundaries to stay on task and stay focused on what you’re doing? And some practical things are to allow yourself to check and reply to your email twice a day. Shut off the phone unless you know the person calling.
Of course, there are situations where people need to get in touch with you. And those people need a certain way to contact you that won’t interrupt your focus. Separating your blocks of time is key to running the organization. Thus, I encourage you as I encourage all my clients to put up boundaries. And to have somebody else run interference whenever possible. As a result, you will run the organization and achieve your goals.
Mindfulness Techniques for Time Management
I recommend that CEOs practice mindfulness for the importance of time management. Studies have shown that meditation and mindfulness shift the way the brain functions. They can see it on a functional MRI too. It’s almost like you’re building a muscle when you practice meditation and mindfulness. This is because high-level thinking takes time to shift. This includes shifts from dealing with emergencies and putting out fires. Fulfilling employee needs what and shifting into a place where you can be strategic. Even visionary.
Completing certain exercises additionally increases the speed in which you shift into that space. And once you’re in that space you must protect it. By making sure that you’ve shut off all the disruptions that are coming in. Or you move to a different physical space. Or you can have a time place that you block out. Also, don’t underestimate the power of having regular time blocked out for yourself.
It is not always easy to shift from the place of the hustle and bustle that it takes in running an organization. Moreover, look at the great leaders and people that are making a change in the world. You’ll tend to notice that they also make time and space for being special activities. This includes time to be contemplative, think critical, and to exercise their vision. Learning how to do that for yourself is a discipline. But it’s much easier if you’re in a group with other CEOs that are practicing these types of skills. You will soon see that there’s a case for making it a priority in your life.
Discovering Your “WHY”
One of the keys to having effective time management as the CEO of an organization is to tie it in with your “why.”
- Why are you doing this?
- What are your desired outcomes?
- Why are you engaged in the work that you’re engaged in every day?
Keeping your “why” close by as a reminder will also tend to keep you on task with moving towards your initiatives. Instead of getting pulled into the day to day chaos. Having your reminders on your computer or somewhere on your desk is a great idea to keep you focused on your goals. I have a kitchen timer on my personal desk, I bought it on Amazon for $6.99. And when I need to have interrupted periods of time and focus I’ll set the timer because I know a lot of us are. Nowadays we use the term ADD as a joke. But distraction is not a joke. Giving into things that are sexier than strategic thinking. Or things more in your face are not helping to create a vision for your company.
In conclusion, it’s important to use techniques and systems to keep pulling you back to where you need to be. As a result, you will get the highest return for the time you invest in your organization.
