Finding time for change

One of the most common reasons for not making a change is a lack of time, whether that be in a personal or professional capacity. For example, time is often blamed in my house for why I haven’t joined the gym (yet?) or read all of the emails in my inbox.

If you’re looking for more time to focus on those to-do list items that matter to you, the answer could be right in front of you. Take a closer look at that calendar of yours. Is it full of meetings? If yes, does it need to be?

We often default to synchronous (real-time) communication. This can mean nonstop pinging from IMs, a day packed full of meetings, and a feeling of needing to always be ‘on’.

But have you considered using more asynchronous forms of communication? Sounds complicated or not sure what asynchronous communication is? Check out the carousel (document) below to learn more about the topic and for key questions to consider when deciding which to use.

If you’re still not convinced, have a look at this now-famous Microsoft study for more reasons why fewer back-to-back meetings and more downtime can be good for business as well as you.

So, as we approach the end of the week, how could you create more space for yourself? Just think about what you could do in that time. Work on those big, important change projects you want to get stuck into, or maybe just get some time to think for a moment and have a hot cup of tea/coffee!

Let me know what you think of asynchronous communication and what you’d do with some extra time in your diary.

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