Tempus fugit. Time is money. Discretionary time is true wealth. Or so we’re told and meant to act on. I would also add that effective time management is critical to one’s reputation and overall performance.
I was working with the owner of a small business. Among other more pressing issues he asked me to help him create a weekly routine which he was then supposed to follow in a disciplined manner, and get his team to do so also. That was three months ago, and he has yet to even try implementing the weekly routine. I’m willing to bet he won’t ever do so, as then he might have to impose some strictures on his own time and thereby lose his ability to be in constant crisis action mode.
Consistently juggling one’s agenda, showing up late for scheduled activities, cancelling meetings, and consistently changing priorities are all clear signs of chronic disorganization, poor work habits, and a generally chaotic relationship with time. These undermine one’s reputation with others, in addition to playing havoc with everyone else’s most valuable resource, their own time. The effects are exacerbated by the all-too-frequent practice of not returning messages or phone calls.
One thing I find striking about highly successful people is that they have a grip on their time. They know where it goes and what to do with it. Sometimes they waste time or miss a meeting for unforeseen circumstances, but they quickly and effectively compensate by rescheduling and reprioritizing. They also advise affected others in a timely manner, apologize, and work to make up for it.
Successful people also believe that the best time to start is now. That doesn’t mean they try to get everything done right away or not stop until it’s finished (especially a big project). But they do realize that starting now and following through with a disciplined routine will get the job done. They believe that 80 percent now is better than 100 percent down the road, and that 100 per cent is unattainable in any case.
When my book came out a few years ago some former Army colleagues who had since retired from the military and started second careers told me they had wanted to write exactly the same type of book I had. I asked them what had stopped them. Invariably, it pertained to claimed lack of time, the need to do something else instead that was a higher priority, or simply that they wanted to do more “research.”
I believe most of these are just excuses for lack of drive and discipline to sit down and map out the project and then simply starting. This is ironic given that a fundamental principle of military planning and tactics is to launch and sustain what are called concurrent activities. When a military leader gets a warning order to prepare for an operation, he immediately initiates his unit’s battle procedure so his troops can get ready for the upcoming and expected mission. Even though the unit doesn’t have all the information and details needed to carry out its tasks, there is still a lot to be done like loading up on ammunition, eating a hearty meal, and even getting what the Army amusingly calls “forced rest.”
Even more important than starting now, though, is that successful people look out beyond the next hill and try to anticipate and plan for the future. They look for ways to focus their efforts and time on the highest priorities and most impactful activities and relationships. They create contingency plans and manage risks in an active manner, and they work to shape their future environment, which thus minimizes threats and maximizes opportunities.
Many people believe that there will somehow be a better time in the future. It is a factor in deciding to launch a business, take a vacation, go back to school, or simply focus on one’s business and strategizing about the future and what one wants to achieve.
If you’re thinking you should launch a project, create a new product, recruit a new sales manager, or deal with a problematic situation within your team, chances are it is the right time to do so. Assuming you are following your own lights and not just going through the motions by copying others, that it is a genuine need, then you have to find the time to do it.
Yes, there’s always tomorrow, but tomorrow there will be something else that may appear more important.