It’s Monday, there is plenty of time to ease into the week. It’s Wednesday, “Hump Day,” halfway through the week and time for a breather. It’s Friday, and we just need to wrap up some email to get ready for the weekend. It’s the first of the month and plenty of time to get to the goals we set for the month. It’s the end of the month and we didn’t get our priorities done but there is always next month.
Procrastination and complacency are silent killers of dreams, innovation and opportunity. The belief that we will always have one more chance to catch up or to get things started, leads us to be casual about prioritizing our time and focus. Truly successful leaders understand that there is a cost of lost opportunity when we wander through our day or week without intention.
Studies show that many people spend their day in endless meetings, busy activity, and endless emails. People report being exhausted by the end of the day, but when asked what they accomplished, they cannot give results. Why is that?
Often we allow deadlines to dictate our activity. We approach meetings and interactions without clarity about our goal. The day is then driven by reacting to requests rather than progress or seeking opportunities for growth.
A sense of urgency
When we possess a sense of urgency about accomplishing our objectives today versus hoping to get to them tomorrow, we have focus and direction. Begin each day considering your key objectives and watch for windows of opportunity to create momentum in your work. Every interaction is chance to influence others and to communicate your priorities to your team. Today is not just another day. It is a day of potential for great things to happen. The real question is whether you will seize that opportunity or watch it drift away.
