Ever felt swamped at work, juggling endless tasks and projects, yet still not making headway on what really matters?
I was working with Phil, the CEO of a large global retail company, which brought this issue into sharp focus. We started with a simple exercise. First, I asked Phil, “What are your real priorities?” I meant the two or three things that will have a long-term impact. We identified these key projects together.
Then I asked, “To do justice to each of these priorities, how much time do you need to dedicate weekly?” Phil mapped out the time he needed for each one. Finally, I asked him to review his calendar for the last three weeks and see how much time he’d actually spent on those priorities. The look on his face said it all: not much.
In this video, I would like to share three key principles of high performance.
I am in the heart of Australia at Uluru. Here with me is Dominique, a dear friend, who invited me on an epic cross-country trip from east to west Australia.
A couple of weeks ago, over a coffee, Dominique told me about this trip. I was excited but also hesitant because of my busy schedule. But then I remembered my own advice: prioritise your “big rocks” – the most important things in your life. For me, spending quality time with Dominique was one of those big rocks. So, I reorganised my diary, flew to Alice Springs, and we’ve been exploring for two days, about to start an amazing trek.
Many leaders I work with face the same dilemma: they’re so busy with day-to-day tasks that the truly impactful, long-term priorities get pushed aside. It’s the same with personal priorities. We often let the most important things slip because we’re caught up in the urgent but less important tasks.
Here’s my simple advice to tackle this:
1. Clarify. Every quarter, spend time identifying the few things that will have a long-term impact. Clarify these priorities, both in your business and personal life.
2. Be Honest. Once you’ve identified your priorities, honestly ask yourself how much time you need to dedicate to each one every week to make progress.
3. Protect Your Time. This step is crucial. Go into your calendar and block out time for these priorities. I did exactly this with my trip with Dominique. I protected a week in my calendar and reshuffled everything around it. You’ll need to say no to other things, but it’s essential to put first the things that truly matter.
Tomorrow, Dominique and I are heading to Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, ready to take on a 1,300-kilometre four-wheel drive track called the Great Central Road through the wild. But for now, we’re off to explore Uluru, the largest monolith in the world.
This is this week’s Work Smarter: Live Better tip.
Hope you have a wonderful day and remember to prioritise and protect what truly matters.
A bientôt,
Cyril
