What Does Your Calendar Say About You?

Hello, and happy Monday.

First a quote: “The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” — Stephen Covey

Midway through my career, I learned an uncomfortable truth about how I was managing my time.

For far too many years, the most important people in my life, my wife and our two children, received the leftovers on my calendar.

Like many ambitious professionals, I worked… and worked… and worked some more. My days were filled with meetings, projects, deadlines, responsibilities and a lot of business travel. If there happened to be time left at the end of the day or week, my family would get whatever remained… leftovers.

It took me longer than it should have to realize something important; what gets scheduled gets attention!

And, what doesn’t get scheduled often gets squeezed out by lower priority tasks and actions. Often these items are not only lower priority, but also of lower value in the larger picture.

Eventually, I began doing something simple, but powerful!

I started putting time with my family on my calendar first. Family dinners. School events. Vacations. Time together, you get the idea.

My true priorities finally earned a place on my calendar, not just in my heart.

That small shift changed more than my schedule.

It changed how we lived as a family.

“We need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher on our own ‘to do’ list.” — Michelle Obama

If we’re not careful, our calendar slowly fills with everyone else’s priorities.

• Requests from our boss.

• Problems from customers.

• Emails demanding attention.

• Meeting invitations that seem difficult to decline.

• Unexpected challenges that suddenly become urgent.

Before long, the week is full, if not overflowing.

An honest question remains: “Did we spend our time on what mattered most?”

“You have a choice in life. You can either live intentionally, according to a plan you’ve set. Or you can live by accident, reacting to the demands of others. The first approach is proactive; the second reactive.” – Michael Hyatt

Many people attempt to prioritize the things already on their calendar. I propose something much more powerful… decide in advance what truly matters, and put those priorities on the calendar first.

This is the difference between being reactive or proactive. If we see ourselves as leaders, then one our greatest responsibilities is to move people and organizations forward… proactively.

Reactive people spend most of their time responding to what life throws at them.

Proactive leaders intentionally reserve time for what matters most. Priorities get the attention they deserve and need.

That might include things like:

• Strategic thinking

• Developing their people

• Strengthening relationships

• Learning and professional growth

• Health, family, and personal renewal

Ironically, these activities are rarely urgent. But they are almost always important!

Without intentionally scheduling these priorities, they slowly disappear from our calendars — crowded out by the urgent demands of the moment.

“Things which matter most

must never be at the mercy

of things which matter least.”

– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I have learned that effective leaders spend more time on important, but not urgent activities… the work that prevents problems, builds capability, and creates a better future.

If you’re a manager or organizational leader, this might include things like coaching a team member, improving a process, strengthening culture, or thinking strategically about upcoming changes and the future.

These activities rarely scream for your immediate attention.

But they are often the very activities that separate good leaders from great ones.

One of the most difficult balancing acts in leadership is managing the pressure for short-term results while still investing in long-term success.

That balance rarely happens by accident. It requires intentional choices about how we spend our time.

“I believe that everyone chooses how to approach life… If you’re proactive, you focus on preparing… If you’re reactive, you end up focusing on repairing.” – John C. Maxwell

So, here’s a simple reflection idea for your consideration this coming week… look at your calendar from the past couple of weeks.

What does it reveal about your priorities? More importantly… what should it reveal?

This approach applies just as much to our personal lives as it does to our leadership responsibilities.

Because in the end, our calendars tell the truth.

They reveal what we truly value—not just what we say we value.

If someone looked only at your calendar, what would they conclude are your true priorities?

The good news is that we get to make that choice again this week and every week after.

We can continue reacting to whatever fills our days… or we can step back, decide what matters most, and schedule those priorities first.

Hmmmm… I think it might be time for me to take another look at my own calendar.

How about you?

Bonus Quotes Below

How will you live, love, or lead differently—or better—this week?

Sincerely,

Bryan Yager

“Expanding Your Capacity for Success”

I’m delighted to announce that my new book (“How to Transition into Leadership …and Why that Changes Everything.”) will soon be available as an audio book. Watch for it on Audible and other audio sources too.

While the book focuses primarily on management and leadership, the lessons apply just as powerfully to experienced leaders and our important relationships outside of work.

Click here to order your copy of “How to Transition Into Leadership… and Why That Changes Everything”

What others are saying:

I love it! Not only is it a good read for transitioning into a leadership role, it is also a great refresher for seasoned leaders.

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Bonus Quotes:

• “Until we can manage time, we can manage nothing else.” — Peter Drucker

• “Ordinary people think merely of spending time; great people think of using it.” — Arthur Schopenhauer

• “Action expresses priorities.” — Mahatma Gandhi

• “If you don’t decide your priorities, someone else will.” — Greg McKeown

• “Be a creator of circumstances rather than just a creature of circumstances. Be proactive rather than reactive.” – Brian Tracy

• “Not only should you have a to-do list, but it must become your best friend.” — Jim Kwik

• “Just as you make a daily list of your work priorities, make another list of the most important things you want to do with your family. Include things you want to do during the time you spend with them each night and each weekend.” — Mary Kay Ash

• “You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do.” – Carl Jung

• “I’ve always made lists of things I want to achieve — it helps me track my progress. But to-do lists are only useful if you do the things on your list.” — Richard Branson

• “When you make a to-do list, you should also make a to-not-do list. Warren Buffet was asked about the secret to success, and he said that it was saying no to almost everything. Some of those little tasks won’t matter if you get the big tasks done.” — Brian Tracy

• “One of the secrets of getting more done is to make a TO-DO List every day, keep it visible.” — Alan Lakein

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