Design Your Day Before Someone Else Does

Well hello there and Happy Monday! I’m Monica Wofford and this is your Monday Moment.

We seem to be on the theme of time lately and because of that, let’s talk about design of your time and the minutes you’re using.

Every morning leaders wake up with a choice. Design the day. Or inherit someone else’s preference. And the moment you open email before deciding your priorities, you’ve handed over the steering wheel.

Think of art as an example. Some think graffiti is cool, street art they call it. Others find it a bother and would call it vandalism. What if your boss sends you an email first thing that you think is a bother, but he or she thinks is pure artwork. Given it’s your boss, you’ll likely jump on it, but without your day designed… Now you’re reacting instead of leading.

So, before you start work tomorrow, in fact, the night before is often most effective, answer these three questions:

• What is today’s most important outcome?
• Who needs my attention?
• What can wait?

Then block time for those items first. Not after meetings. Not if you have time. Not when things slow down. Haha. As if they ever do.

Nope. First.

The best leaders don’t simply manage their calendars, they intentionally build them because time doesn’t accidentally become productive.

Someone has to decide where it goes.

A that someone should probably be you.

I’m Monica Wofford and let’s keep talking… leadership.