Top Together Leader Takeaway Tip 4: Pause to Plan

May 11, 2016

Missed the other posts in this series? Start herehere and here to get the most out of these quick tips!

Together Leaders in mission-driven settings have a LOT to do. They are managing as well as making, in hyper-ambitious but resource-limited environments. It can feel like the hardest thing on Earth to pause, prioritize and plan, but every Together Leader I know describes this practice as life changing!

Most Together Leaders make an AGENDA to meet with themselves. Here’s an example from Max below. He even inserts this as a recurring appointment in his Outlook calendar.

At first, it can feel painful to pause the work and plan ahead, but give it a try. As Max puts it, “Having the time blocked out and holding it sacred is super helpful.  It makes my time more intentional and less driven by meetings.  I am intentionally pushing forward my priorities each week, and also making sure I don’t lose track of those small follow-up actions – going through my notebook, my inbox, and looking ahead at my calendar really helps me not drop any balls.” And try to do this on Thursday or Friday—not on Monday mornings!

Together Takeaway: Pause to plan on a daily (5 – 10 minutes) and weekly (1 hour) level. I guarantee you will get some time and energy back in your day!