​I don’t have time to ….

We all use this phrase. The thing is when we say it, we remove our ownership.

Really, we do!

Time is our most precious resource. Often, we become carried away on an endless conveyor belt and don’t stop to get off to consider everything we are doing and getting fixed on. We may lose track of the ‘bigger’ picture and what’s important. This applies in the workplace and outside of it.

So, challenge yourself to ask, WHY do I not have time to…?

With just one moment (or less!) of reflection, you may find that what you are about to say ‘no’ to could be:

1. more interesting and fulfilling than what you are currently doing
2. more important that day and part of the wider objective.

It’s not about time, it's about priorities!

Does this language sound familiar to you?

• “I want to get more involved in marketing but I just don’t have the time / it’s not a priority for me
• “I don’t have time to travel” / it’s not a priority for me
• “I don’t have time to make the phone call” / it’s not a priority for me

Suddenly, the excuse of time becomes an incredibly weak argument! Your priorities are where you choose to spend those hours and you are the only person who controls that.

Our perspective shifts if we try looking at life’s challenges differently. Where do you spend your time? Why not try tracking your time over the next few days in 30-minute blocks? It could be eye opening.

How much time do you spend on certain tasks at work and at home? For example:

• The 10 hours of TV each week could become less important
• The late nights on Facebook become more apparent
• The 45 minutes spent breaking down travel expenses instead of helping your team with a task with a tighter deadline, suddenly seems irrelevant.

Why not give the following self-awareness exercise a go? It’s a very popular part of The Juniper Co.’s development programmes.

If you are a member of our alumni, you can also access a number of additional useful resources on our learning centre – get in touch if you need further information on how to log in.

Let us know how you get on!

A Day in the Life

Objective:

To determine your views on what you consider are the important competencies in your specific environment.

Directions:

Picture your typical day in order to frame the context, challenges, activities, requirements, frustrations, positives and negatives of your job on a daily basis.

1. Take a few minutes now to visualise how you spend your time, listing the top five or six activities that you BELIEVE you spend the majority of your time doing, e.g. communicating with clients, updating records, planning meetings.
2. Track the ACTUAL time you spend in each area of activity each day over about a week, considering in particular how you prioritise time across activities and whether those activities are related to tactical or strategic goals.