This month’s leadership quote: The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities. – Stephen Covey
We often hear time management tips about taking time to plan your schedule. What we often hear is to prioritize what is on the schedule. What Stephen Covey reminds us with this quote, is to pause, choose our priorities and then schedule them.
As a leadership coach, I recommend the following 5 step approach to my Vistage members and coaching clients:
- Start with the wheel of life, what are my “spokes”?
- What do I need to feel in balance with each of the spokes on my wheel? Remembering that balance is different for each person, see 2/5/12 blog: The Ever Elusive Search for Work/Life Balance
- What are my 3 or 5 year goals for each spoke?
- What actions do I want (need) to take this year to move me toward those goals?
- Each day, when planning the day, ask this question: How do I want to spend the 16 hours I am not sleeping so that I complete the actions I set for myself this year?
The initial results of my Pivot are excellent. I feel I have much greater clarity regarding the next 3-5 years.. 