It's Tuesday at 2:00pm! (PST Time: I live and work from Southern California)
In this New Year I'm going to continue to explore some leadership quotes that might challenge us, inspire us or remind us of different aspects of the leadership journey. This is part of my personal journey to keep growing, learning and being stretched! Join me each Tuesday at 2:00pm (PST). It will take you just a few minutes to read through the 2 sections of this post, but don't miss the final section where I share some of the things I'm reading, listening to and enjoying this week.
You can find past posts on my website HERE.
Enjoy!
LEADERSHIP QUOTE:
"The busier you are, the more intentional you must be." Michael Hyatt
What does this stir up? Either write me HERE or comment at the end of the blog post HERE.
A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:
This month I want to look at some quotes from Michael Hyatt. I've been following Hyatt for years and he continues to develop resources to help leaders succeed in both life and leadership! I encourage you to learn more about what is offered at Full Focus.
The name of Hyatt's company is FULL FOCUS. This aligns exactly with the quote above I'm sharing.
I don't know about you, but when I get busy, it becomes more and more difficult to focus, or to be intentional.
When I'm TOO busy:
I'm usually running from one thing to another
I'm not finishing things well, so I'm usually making a mess
Often I'm rushing through something just to check it off my list
I'm not paying attention to all that's going on around me
There's a difference between being "BUSY" and being "TOO BUSY".
Being busy is just a part of life and leadership. Being busy isn't a bad thing. Being busy is usually connected to productivity, to results and to vision.
But being TOO busy can get you in trouble. When you're "too busy", the idea of being focused and being intentional is critical.
What does your "busy" look like? What does your "too busy" look like in your life?
DEEPER STILL:
You might be asking, "How can I be more intentional when I'm busy?"
Here are a couple of things I do that help me in this area. When I'm "too busy" I often feel overwhelmed. When I feel that way, these things help me to find the focus:
#1) I Clean Up and Organize My Workspace.
This might be my desk, my desktop, my inbox... whatever it is. Sometimes I'm just feeling too busy because things look a little chaotic. Cleaning and organizing my space always helps.
#2) I Make My List
It helps me to write down what I need to do, and get done. I can edit the list, prioritize the list and continually add to the list.
#3) I Schedule My List
I take my task list and I put it in my calendar. Yes, I'll block out an hour to respond to emails, to write an article, to complete a project. I make time in my schedule to work my list, and I cancel things that aren't important at the time. Priorities.
#4) I Work Hard
When I need to focus, I can usually find another gear in my work energy, and I go after it. This requires that I'm healthy, I've slept and I'm eating right, but there are times that you need to just get the work down.
#5) I Take Breaks
I've found that a 10-minute walk or an errand can re-energize me.
#6) I Explore Work Life and Personal Life
Sometimes the tension in one area spills into the other. Recognizing where the busy feeling is coming from is important to identify and address.
What have you done that has helped you develop that intentionality? Are you doing that regularly? Why or why not?
Things I'm Reading, Listening To and Watching This Week:
Find out more about Michael Hyatt & Full Focus
Listen to Paul Simon's work "Seven Psalms"
I love the work of Hope Ventures. They create entrepreneurial communities all over the world helping people break out of poverty.
We purchased this "Punt, Pass and Shoot" set for our grandson. As a 1-year old, it's a HIT. Go LIttle Tikes!
This past week I hosted a workshop for The Barnabas Group with John Pearson: "The 4 Big Mistakes to Avoid With Your Nonprofit Board". Great help and you can get it in John's workbook on Amazon!