MONDAY MORSELS for Leaders-How to Utilize Your Time Wisely- The 5 D’s pt. I
Prioritizing those high register tasks, along with the mundane everyday routine tasks, appropriately, is one sure fire sign you’re an emerging leader. Without this vital skill, you’re at the mercy of a conglomerate of urgent responsibilities and annoying needs pleading for your attention. I recently heard someone call the fun non-relevant distractions that come your way: BRIGHT SHINNY THINGS. And, in order to avoid getting caught giving your attention to these BRIGHT SHINNY THINGS, you’ll need the ability to:
Discern It (is it a worthy, timely goal? Does it fit w/your mission, vision & values?)
Dump It (It doesn’t fit, or isn’t relevant!)
Delegate It (Someone else can do it just as well.)
Defer It (Doesn’t have to be done now.)
Do it (It’s the 20% of activities that give you the greatest return on your investment of time, do those first!)
Besides, it’s that time of year for you to create clear, powerful, strategic goals that will be the markers on your map to assist you in reaching your ultimate destination. Why? Because it’s a new year! A new beginning, January 1st, it’s time for:
OUT WITH THE OLD (those things that didn’t work/or are obsolete) and
IN WITH THE NEW
This entails reassessing where you are currently, check to see if the goals you previously established are, in fact, still relevant, and taking you where you intend and need to go, or if you got caught up in a BRIGHT SHINNY THING that needs to be restructured or possibly DUMPED. So, grab a sheet of paper and pen, and let’s begin first off with all your desired “OUTCOMES” and then work backwards. Whether you like a 1 year, or a 3 year strategic plan, you have to get a hold of understanding where, and what, you want “TO BE” at the end of it all. You see, a map without a destination is just a journey to no where. Once you have your destination in full view, chunk down each and every thing to bite size portions.
Remember to establishing your priorities in every aspect of your life: mentally, spiritually, physically, in your professionally as well as family life. Take a look at all the hats you wear, that should help. Yep, it’s called work/life balance, none of this all-or-nothing career, when you work with this Coach. Now, once you’ve brainstormed and “Discerned” those brilliant, clear, goals, go back and focus on the other 4 “D’s” 2. “Dump It”, 3. “Delegate It”, 4. “Defer It”, or my favorite, 5. just “Do It”.
Time saving and Money Saving Tip:
Try using a virtual assistant and you’ll soon discover, as I have, that the more you delegate or outsource, the more you’ll be able to focus on those items that only you can do. It’s keeping for yourself those tasks that bring out your most brilliant-talents. Those things you do best, and that are worth your time and financial investment. For instance, if you have figured out you’re worth $200 an hour, these better be tasks you do that will bring that financial return and more. These are things, that when you do them, people around you say, “You make that look so easy!” When you doing them, you shine and feel fulfilled. Pt. II next time
