Leadership and White Space

When was the last time you checked off everything on your daily to-do list? Most of us are unrealistic when we schedule our day. That's why I found my head nodding as I read this article; if you've worked with me or heard me speak, you know that I make a point of reminding you that the average person can complete 10 tasks in 8 hours. And those 10 tasks include the unscheduled tasks that inevitably crop up - a new client calling, or an unexpected request from your boss. That's why you schedule a maximum of only 7 tasks a day - to allow for the unexpected, and still finish your day with aplomb.

Here are the two statements in the article that had me nodding:

One of the easiest things for leaders to do is to bite off more than they can chew. Fact: bright, talented executives with a bias to action will often take on more than they should. These leaders don’t understand the value of white space.   

Is your rubber-band stretched so tight that it’s about to snap? Efficiency and productivity are not found working at or even near capacity. Rather entering the productivity zone is found working at about 60% to 70% of capacity. Operating in excess of that threshold will cause increased stress, lack of attention to detail and errant decisioning. The old “what if I only had ‘x’ number of hours to work in a week, what would I focus on?” exercise is a good one. 


Read the full article here: Leadership and White Space