In leadership, especially school leadership, decisions are made daily in the hundreds. There is rarely a moment of time and space to process and think deeply unless you make time for it.
I've been reading and listening to the work of Cal Newport recently, and I'm continually challenged to think and act differently regarding my use of time.
We all have a fixed amount of time each day. How many days we will get is only known by the good Lord.
So, how are you using the time you have?
In Cal's book Deep Work he says,
“if you keep interrupting your evening to check and respond to e-mail, or put aside a few hours after dinner to catch up on an approaching deadline, you’re robbing your directed attention centers of the uninterrupted rest they need for restoration. Even if these work dashes consume only a small amount of time, they prevent you from reaching the levels of deeper relaxation in which attention restoration can occur. Only the confidence that you’re done with work until the next day can convince your brain to downshift to the level where it can begin to recharge for the next day to follow. Put another way, trying to squeeze a little more work out of your evenings might reduce your effectiveness the next day enough that you end up getting less done than if you had instead respected a shutdown.”
― Cal Newport, Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
I tried so often to do multiple things at once. Trying to balance my different roles and meet the expectations of all at the same time. I tried to be a dad, school leader, adjunct professor, husband, coach, friend etc...
YET, a life fully lived cannot be lived in pieces.
I am learning to invest more fully in each area of my life.
I am learning to be more intentional with each person and experience I have.
Have there been missed opportunities because I was distracted with things that don't matter?
YES, and there will be more in the future.
As a principal, I "missed" many things around me. I was distracted and didn't always focus on what mattered most. I say this both professionally and personally.
I was distracted.
Do I regret my 17 yrs education because I missed some things, events, or activities?
NO
I am proud of my work and service in education.
The relationships formed have and will always be with me, and many continue to this day.
People will always be more important than possessions, jobs, titles, and events.
What I do regret is not learning how to focus on what matters most sooner in life.
For those in leadership...Keep first things first; as a friend in the military once told me,
F.I.P
First Important Priority
In all situations and events...ask yourself what the First and most Important Priority is.
Make a daily list of what must get done and what can wait.
Prioritize what matters most and stick to it.
School leaders know this more than anyone else; the job of a principal is a job of distraction.
Since starting a new job, I have begun using a very specific plan to help me think through my daily work and goals.
You can find many options online or make your own. The point is that taking a few minutes at the start and end of the day to be intentional about your time can help you be more focused and disciplined with your limited time.
I know that if I can use my time effectively with fewer wasted moments, I will have fewer missed opportunities to do the work that matters most.
Time is limited.
Use it wisely.
Be intentional with the time you have. Prioritize what matters most for YOU and those you Serve.
Trevor
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