The Manager - Edition 89 - Awareness of time
THE MANAGER - BY ROB LAMBERT
Hi,
I hope you are all safe and well.
Things are still in lockdown here in the UK. With the hot weather upon us, we’ve decided to take on a major garden project at Lambert Towers. More fool us - I won’t bore you with the details.
I’m working on a new book with a working title of Meditations on Management. I’m certain this is going to be a beautiful and helpful book. It's going to contain everything you need to know to become the best version of yourself. Of course, with that management twist.
I’m keen to add another book to my growing series.
I am also working on Zero To Keynote and The Squirrels that ruined everything.
Many people say only work on one book at a time. I find my brain isn’t wired that way. I find it easier to commit to writing 1000 words each day - on whatever has my attention. I’m sure the pros are right about working on one book at a time - but I’m certain I’ll get there in the end.
Awareness of time
Very few of us would like other people to steal our money. We avoid people who could potentially harm us. We worry about our property. We protect ourselves.
Yet the only thing we have a truly limited amount of is time.
And we don't guard it well at all. We let people steal our time all of the time.
To live a full life and become the person we want to be, we must guard our time.
It's the only thing that clicks by one second at a time. It's the only thing we are running out of.
Time, ultimately, is the great leveller. We all run out of it at some point.
In my experience, the greatest time-stealers lurk in the workplace.
Think of all the obligations you have at work that you don't need to attend to.
Think about the corridor conversations that didn't need to happen.
Think about the meetings that you have no input into, or didn't need to happen at all (about 90% of them :)).
Think about the projects that don't lead anywhere.
Think about the jobs we take for vanity reasons - but they don't add to our skillset or bring us real joy.
Think about those low performers who consume our time, because we're afraid to have the hard conversation.
Think about the obligations we take on to impress others or fix our impulses.
With all of this busy work we rarely stop to analyse whether it's a good use of our time.
It pays to take stock of our lives. Do an audit.
Ask whether this obligation is essential, or whether the reasons are less compelling. Is this work, meeting, conversation, impulse essential - or can I cut it out?
We only have so much time.
The wise manager (or person), is the one who spends the time they have engaged on actions that add value. They focus on relationships that bring joy. They spend their time in the office carefully.
Remove all that is not essential and you'll find you get a lot more meaningful work done.
What are you doing today that is not essential?
What could you stop doing in order to achieve your true potential?
What projects, social gatherings or work could you say "No" to - in order to say "Yes" to something else?
Until next week - thanks for reading.
Take care and stay safe.
Rob..
FOOD FOR YOUR MANAGEMENT BRAIN
1. This week I did a video about balancing being effective AND liked - https://youtu.be/YH0hRKhCYvU
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2. Lockdown and the virus is affecting tech companies with more lay-offs happening - https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/may/08/tech-layoffs-coronavirus-uber-airbnb
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3. This is great. Do you work in a product company - and want help in shipping - free guide - https://basecamp.com/shapeup/webbook
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4. Torn about this one. If you work remotely, from a cheaper place to live, you get a pay cut. https://www.inc.com/suzanne-lucas/why-you-should-follow-facebook-pay-remote-workers-less.html
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5. Preparing your team for the long-haul of remote working and coming out of the other side of this thing. https://hbr.org/2020/05/how-to-prepare-your-virtual-teams-for-the-long-haul
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6. Protect yourself - rise in hacking as more people online and WFH - https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/may/24/hacking-attacks-on-home-workers-see-huge-rise-during-lockdown
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7. Keep your screen time safe and healthy - some good advice on protecting your mental health - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-52712532
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Thanks
Rob..