Green Standard Time
The views and opinions expressed in this blog are mine personally, and are not necessarily representative of Texas Health Resources (THR) or its subsidiaries.
The Green movement has picked up momentum in the last few years as the world comes to grips with the reality that we belong to a single ecosystem and we must be prudent caretakers of our shared earth. While I will sidestep the political foray associated with this movement, one principle I can agree with is that we must conserve our precious resources. The most precious non renewable resource of all is our time. I advocate "Green Standard Time."
A common question I receive from audiences and subscribers to my blog is centered on time. How do I manage time to accommodate all my passions and do them well? After a recent talk on mentoring, a woman asked me this same question but started with this: "I have read your blogs and seen your YouTube Ironman videos where you share the amount of hours invested in training. If you were to take a 20-week period and subtract the time for training, sleeping and working, how do you have time for anything else?" In her question she included the exact hours associated with each activity.
I do not subscribe to the work-life balance philosophies of the last couple of decades. The post-modern lifestyle enabled by technology is much more fluid and integrated. We are free from the bounds of compartmentalization. If I am inspired at 3 a.m. to work on something or on a Saturday, so be it. If I want to be home for an important mid-day or -week occasion, so be it. My productivity is not measured in hours but in outcomes.
There are numerous books on time management that do a far better job than I can in providing tools and tips, but the following are a few that work for me:
o Your success is largely determined by the people you surround yourself with, including your assistant.
o Delegate authority and responsibility to the lowest levels possible.
o Provide vision and remove barriers, then get out of the way and allow your team to make it happen.
o Serve your people with humility.
o The majority of my conference calls are done while I drive. (I have a complete Bluetooth environment integrated with my car for safety.)
o I always have my laptop with me; in the event of any unexpected downtime, I can catch-up on other tasks.
o I catch up on my intake while I bike and run indoors.
o All division leadership meetings include 29 minutes for professional development.
o Outdoor runs, rides and swimming incorporate prayer and thinking.
o Reduce the amount of meetings you attend.
§ Can others already attending represent you? Too often I go to meetings and I look around the room and see way too many people involved and I think about the duplication of effort and wasted resources.
§ Ask yourself if your attendance is really needed.
o Read "Death by Meeting" and adopt its principles for improved outcomes.
o Create regularly scheduled "block times" where you do not attend meetings.
o All the other things you already know but may not practice, such as Agenda, Meeting Purpose, Facilitator, Timekeeper, Action Items, etc.
o The average person watches something like 20 hours per week.
o I married my college sweetheart between our sophomore and junior years and we had no cash. We got used to living without a TV and never became addicted. Set yourself free and buy back 20 hours!
o We do watch a couple of movies a month and the occasional exceptional TV moment such as the Olympics. The standing rule, however, is that the majority of your viewing time must be spent on either the elliptical or the bike trainer.
o I only spend time with strategic partners; my team handles tactical and emerging partners.
o I rarely do lunch or dinner meetings or other boondoggles. No golf, ever.
o I will do occasional breakfast meetings as these are quick and part of my workday routine. (See multi-task.)
o I am starting to do workout meetings where we meet at the gym and talk while working out. (See multi-task.)
o I work at home on Fridays; that's when I attend to many routine and/or intensive tasks. My productivity is easily 50 percent higher than in the office. My assistant does this as well. My entire division is encouraged and free to work at home as much as possible.
o If this is impractical, carve out a minimum weekly 4-hour block of time and go to your neighborhood Starbucks, Barnes & Noble, Panera, library, etc., to free yourself from distraction and concentrate for long periods of time.
o Wherever you are and whatever you do, be in the moment.
o Be decisive and don't let challenges linger.
o Each day at the office begins with time seeking God and preparation for the day's and week's tasks and objectives.
o Give everything you have to the particular task at hand
o Hire others to do tasks that sap your energy and time such as lawn care and household/car repairs. Some say you can't afford to and I argue you can't afford not to so you have energy to focus on what will help you realize your vision.
o Train your children on certain tasks. For instance my son received his A+ certification training at age 12 and for 6 years became the household go-to person for all things technical. This specialized expertise not only shifted a burden away from me, but positioned my son for his future.
o Studies have shown that exercise not only improves the odds of a longer more healthful life, but sharpens the mind.
o Starting at 5 a.m., the majority of my exercise has always happened while most are asleep. My workout facility is 5 minutes from my office, which offers significant convenience. Convenient location is a criterion for me when vetting a career opportunity. At my last position, the gym was in the same building as my office -- even better.
o You can do many things as a family. We take evening walks. We do mountain bike rides.
o My son and I share a passion in triathlon. However my wife and daughter have also participated in multi-sports events so we had an opportunity to train and compete together. We won the Mayfield Village (Cleveland) Family Triathlon 5 of 8 years. In October my wife and I race as a team in the "Muddy Buddy."
o Part of my weekly dates with my wife include a joint workout, something we both enjoy and believe in.
o I get to bed around 9 p.m. each evening and average 7 hours of sleep per weeknight, more on the weekends
o I attempt to reserve Sundays for pure rest -- no work of any kind. Counterintuitive, this principle applied leads to more time abundance.
o Gratefulness allows you to enjoy the time you have.
o Always give thanks. I was a janitor and I was thankful. I was a pizza delivery driver and I was thankful. I was an Army Private and was thankful. I am a CIO and am thankful. In all things, give thanks.
I am not convinced that our environment is completely controlled by the actions of the population, but one thing I know is that I am responsible for how my time is managed and hence my impact to the earth and those around me. In this sense I am doggedly in favor of "Green Standard Time."