Episode 412: Plug the Leaks – 1 Simple Thing Online

On Today’s Show

Author Anne Grady says you don’t lose time generally in huge chunks, we don’t look up and 2 hours have gone by. Instead, we look up and 15 minutes have elapsed, and if we are not careful, that time adds up. It’s like springing a leak, it’s not going to sink your boat all at once but eventually it gets pretty difficult to cover-up all the holes. It’s important to become very deliberate about the small chunks of your time you’re wasting, and how you can focus your time and attention.

Subscribe in iTunes | Subscribe in Stitcher

1 Simple Thing Action

Keep track of your leaks. Pay attention to your interruptions. Who’s interrupting you? Is there a time of day where it happens most often? Identify your biggest leaks – pick one, and start to protect your time around it. We train people how to treat us. If someone interrupts me and I stop what I am doing and give them undivided attention, even if internally I am feeling frustrated by it, I am sending the message that it’s okay. Then I build up resentment and become passive-aggressive. If you identify that as a significant leak, offer them an alternative time that is more convenient for you to go over their issues and start retaining people. This way you are still able to be available, but you are not getting derailed when it’s not critical.