For part of my life, I lived in Arizona. Arizona did not “participate” in Daylight Savings Time. It was always in the back of my mind when I called family members in the East. Is it two hours or three hours? Since moving back into a state that adjusts every spring and fall, I have grown accustomed once again to that familiar question, “When does the time change?”
It’s an appealing question. The more I think about it, the more I sense a subtle smile emerging on my face. “When does the time change?” If only I could make the time change. Wouldn’t it be great to speed up time on some days and slow it down at others? I can imagine a one-week vacation at my favorite beach lasting for a year. What about hitting the fast-forward button in that boring meeting? I can imagine a few two- hour meetings that would be worthy candidates for conversion. But, time doesn’t change.
It’s impossible to change the number of hours in a day. So, stop complaining about how you wish you had more hours. It’s far more productive to focus on things that do change. There is an alternative way to change time that is available every day. Leaders recognize that the number of hours is finite, but the ripple effect of decision-making stretches toward the infinite. Leaders change time by changing their perspective of time. Some hours are more fulfilling than others. Some days are more rewarding than others. Some days fly and some days crawl. Yet, every day provides incredible investment opportunities.
Your investment will always come back to how well you understand yourself and others. In an environment where every leader recognizes time as a precious commodity, the greatest determinant of effective time management is knowing when and how to spend time with key people.
Change time today by recognizing every day is a gift.
Change time today by evaluating your day based on your personal leadership vision.
Change time today by increasing your investment in the leaders around you.
Change time today by choosing to take responsibility for your choices.
Change time today by choosing gratitude over complaining.
And, if you’re in one of “those” states, don’t forget to change your clock when “the time changes.”
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