4 Tips to Protect your Calendar
Time is precious! In our rapidly changing, time-conscious world, we are forced to get more done, with fewer people, in less time. The quantity of time will not change. There are 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, and 24 hours in a day. What needs to change is our perception of time and how we invest our time!
Explore and implement these 4 tips to Protect Your Calendar!
1. Think Big Picture
Protecting your calendar starts with the Big Picture! What’s your WHY, purpose, and focus personally, professionally, and organizationally? Based upon your Vision, Core Values, and Mission, what is important to you about WHY and HOW you invest your time?
My WHY and purpose is to empower individuals to create their own reality based upon their purpose and passion. I aspire to be present, bring value, and engage. A phrase that I live by, that my mom loved, is Choose to Participate!
2. Create a Strategy
Protecting your calendar happens when you plan and implement your everyday strategy. This does not mean you have to be “structured”. This empowers you to be both in control and as flexible as you want! How are you using your calendar to schedule personal and business activities without missing opportunities?
I choose to work both “IN” and “ON” my business through time with clients, networking, one-on-ones, blog writing, social media, admin, etc. and engaging with my family and friends. To share my availability for one-on-ones, I use Calendly. I customize the times I am available for “Chat with Lisa” on a rolling 90-day calendar on Mondays through Thursdays and protect my Fridays for FUN, follow-up, and next steps.
3. Get Over Yourself
Protecting your calendar means letting go of the feeling that you have to be available 24/7. If you are “present” in your current conversation, work, or experience, then do not let yourself be interrupted by the phone, email, notifications, etc. As cool and valuable as we think we are, the world will not stop, and your next dollar will still arrive without an instantaneous response.
I intentionally show appreciation to the person I am engaging with as my phone is silenced. I plan for checking and responding to emails, voicemails, social media messages, etc. within 12 hours and scroll through notifications for priorities. Whether you are personally or professionally engaged with me, you are welcome to stalk me down through all means of communication with a sense of urgency.
4. Value Your Time
Protecting your calendar empowers you to take care of yourself, so you can take care of your family, friends, clients, customers, team members, etc. You decided to be an entrepreneur for the flexibility to invest your time on a daily, weekly, monthly basis, yet sometimes you may feel you’re working harder than you ever did. You do not have to explain your time to anyone, so be unavailable (unplugged) when you choose to!
Final Thoughts
I not only talk the talk, about “investing” time for a return, rather than “spending” time that is gone forever, I walk the walk! While I embrace my gift of planning and responsibility, I celebrate the opportunity for spontaneity and adventures. I am available for myself, family, friends, clients, etc. to listen, understand, interact, bring value, and have FUN!
Work Smart . . . Play Hard!
Be efficient, effective, and productive . . . Choose to participate in FUN, relaxation, recreation, etc.!
Lisa works with organizations to help build dynamic management and sales teams with a focus on efficiency, effectiveness, and productivity to save you time, energy, and dollars.
Connect with Lisa today to maximize individual, team and organizational potential.
