Creating Space
I just completed a regularly planned ritual I began after my first year at SpringHill when I experienced the seasonality of both SpringHill’s work and my job. Now before the end of any given 4 month “season” I lay out my calendar for the next season.
I literally create space by blocking off days for planning, administrative work, meeting with staff and supporters and yes – days off, all based on my goals for the season and the year.
I learned in that first year that if I didn’t take a proactive approach to my schedule it would be filled by others. And if my calendar became filled by others that meant there would be very little time left for many of the other things I needed to do for SpringHill, my family, and myself.
Now don’t get me wrong I work hard to make myself available to our staff, board and supporters as I create space by planning my calendar.
Being available and approachable is a high value of mine.
But without a thoughtful plan I actually become less available and can seem more unapproachable because of the frantic pace I end up running.
So after that first year I learned this fundamental truth – only I can be responsible for my time, my days, and my calendar.
I can’t entrust it to others.
And it’s not fair to do so, because they’re not in a position to manage my time. They’re only in a position to use it.
Only I’m in a position to manage my time, and create the space needed to do the things that only I can do for SpringHill, for my family, and for myself.
To read more on related topics see my posts:
Creating a Personal Weekly Plan
On Having the Best Summer Yet
Dave and one of his two fish he caught It has taken five summers for Dave Lynema, our Michigan Food Service Director, and I to find a day to do some fishing together. But we finally accomplished our goal this past week. I’ve looked forward to fishing with Dave because he’s an excellent fisherman and I appreciate him as a person and as a friend.
Because it turned out to be a slow fishing day we ended up talking “shop” while trying to figure out what we needed to do to catch some fish. At one point I asked Dave, “How did your summer go?”
He replied (as I heard a number of times in the past couple of weeks), “It was the best summer I’ve had at SpringHill.”
Of course I couldn’t let it go at that so I asked, “What made it your best summer?”
Dave provided two reasons that I could have anticipated, if I had only taken time to think about it.
First he said, “We did a better job in our pre-summer planning.” Then he explained, “We also had great people working on the food service team.”
Good planning, preparation and great people working together as a team? Not necessarily a “high level strategy”. But as in any great day of fishing, it’s an absolutely necessary formula for a team, or a leader, who wants to have their “best summer” ever.
I didn't catch a fish but it didn't matter because of good conversation and this sunrise What’s been the “formula” for your best work experience yet?
