RESOURCES FOR TIME & ENERGY MANAGEMENT
Overcoming “tiny boxes on the calendar,” through intentional time and energy management.
If you’ve read Expansive Impact, you know that I have a complex relationship with my calendar. Specifically, the condition I call “tiny boxes on the calendar,” which involves all white space being taken up by colorful boxes (aka meetings and commitments).
While I am so grateful for what happens within these boxes (meetings with wonderful clients; executive coaching sessions with inspiring CEOs, and oftentimes “fun things” like meetups with friends), I am continually working on creating enough white space on my calendar to not only do work, but to plan for it; strategize about it; and to allow new ideas to come through.
Unsurprisingly, this is a hot topic among our executive coaching clients as well. It is not uncommon for many leaders to have meetings all day, everyday, from 7 am until 6 pm.
If this is what our calendars look like, when do we have time to zoom up and lead?
Creating this time —and energy—can be a process.
If you are working on your relationship with your calendar, as well, here are a few resources that you might find supportive along the way.
Essentialism by Greg McKeown (main idea: less but better)
Deep Work by Cal Newport (main idea: scheduling/creating time for deep work and not just shallow work)
The Energy Project by Tony Schwartz (main idea: we must manage not only our time but our energy)
Flow Research Collective (main idea: we can proactively create a state of flow by honoring the four stages of flow which are: struggle; release; flow; recovery).
What favorite resources would you add to the list?
