If you’re a leader, you know the importance of using time wisely. That doesn’t mean, though, that most of us use time well. Here are some of the most common leadership time wasters, in my opinion:
- Checking email. Truth is, we could be doing email all day long. Schedule times to check it.
- Disorganized meetings. Most meetings can be more productive and still require less time.
- Poor scheduling. Setting aside an hour for a meeting that could accomplish its task in 30 minutes is a misuse of time.
- Mishandled interruptions. Interruptions happen, but they need not waste our time. Handle them wisely and quickly.
- Text conversations. It takes a while to type out a conversation. If you have to talk, use the phone.
- Unclear goals. If we don’t know where we’re headed, we wander – and that always takes more time than a focused, intentional journey.
- Cluttered desks. I know this addition will probably frustrate some readers, but I do suspect that working through “desk chaos” takes extra time.
- Bad filing. Whether it’s in a folder or on a computer, poor filing requires more time to find the documents when you need them.
- Poor rest. When we don’t get enough rest, everything slows down. And, our work is often subpar.
- Not praying. Praying over the day raises the bar about getting the work done. Commit the day to God, and you’ll strive to work more wisely.
What other time wasters would you add to this list?
Editor’s note: This article was originally published at chucklawless.com.
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