So much work!
Leaders in higher ed. have so much to do! You spend a significant amount of time in meetings, your email inbox is always overflowing, you get interrupted throughout the day, unexpected crises keep forcing you to re-prioritize, and you can hardly ever find time to work on what is important but less urgent, such as strategic planning. You find yourself working long hours and often use evenings and weekends to catch up. You are tired. This is not sustainable. Something has to change.
Time management and inner-conflict
I’ve been writing about strategies to optimize time allocation in higher ed. for years. And yet, some of my readers are still stuck in the same situations as before. Why? One common reason why people don’t change their habits and behaviors is when they experience inner conflict. For example, they want to spend only one hour on slides for a presentation, but they are afraid that something won’t be good enough, so they overthink everything and spend too much time on details that don’t matter. Another common example would be to intend to write a report, block off time on their calendar to do it, but spend that time answering emails or chatting with people in the office to avoid facing the daunting task. It could be because the report is tedious to put together, or the person doesn’t have enough accomplishments to report, or is afraid of their supervisor’s criticism when they read it. Please read this article on inner-conflict and self-sabotage to understand how you may be getting in your own way.
Breaking habits
Working with clients on identifying the best time management strategies for their unique needs, based on who they are, and what their position requires, is intellectually stimulating and enjoyable for both the client and coach. The next step, identifying where inner conflict can cause someone to self-sabotage (because a part of them wants to succeed and another part doesn’t) is incredibly fulfilling for the coach, and highly liberating for the client. The client finally understands what has kept them stuck or struggling in the past, and how to break free once and for all.
However, success also requires that the client be willing to break old habits. Most of the things we do all day come from habits. We are rarely intentional unless we’ve developed a habit of being intentional!
Some people are so set in their ways that the idea of having to change habits seems “too hard”. From an external observer’s perspective, the dysfunction, stress, anxiety, shame, regret, crises and sometimes confrontations that result from having poor habits seem excruciating! Who in their right mind would choose the “comfort” of what is familiar over the liberation of letting go of what causes them so much pain???
Choosing courage over comfort
Before I take on a new coaching client, I always want to have a conversation with them not only to identify their goals and obstacles, but also to discover if they take responsibility for their actions or prefer to blame other people and circumstances. Some people prefer to see themselves as victims because it’s easier to point to someone else “being wrong” than to become self-aware and have to make changes. Choosing to be a victim also means having zero power to improve the situation. It’s never the right approach for true leaders.
Going back to the main subject here, which is time management, leaders need to understand that anytime they want things to change, they will have to change. For some, it means clarifying goals and intentions, getting organized, creating healthy boundaries, learning to delegate effectively, letting go of control, reevaluating traditions to create newer and better processes, etc.
No matter what changes are needed, the precursor will be a full commitment to stop acting on auto-pilot and take full responsibility to act based on their clear intention instead of reverting back to what is familiar. And for some people, that’s the most difficult thing in the world because they have been complacent for so long.
That tends to happen even more frequently for people who have been in the same position for a very long time. Even if they experience a high level of stress and pressure, they are likely to find comfort in what’s familiar, even if their habits are what’s causing them the most grief!
Self-reflection
My intention in writing this article is to encourage you to reflect on what is causing you to feel overworked and overwhelmed. Your workload is likely to be excessive, I won’t deny that, but instead of pointing at factors beyond your control, I invite you to reflect on your habits. Do you have clear goals and priorities? Are you well organized? Do you follow-through? Do you let people distract you? What is not working?
If the answers to these questions aren’t clear, you need to work with a coach who will skillfully guide you to improve your organization and follow-through, and most importantly help you dissolve inner-conflict and change habits that are not serving you. But remember that no matter how talented your coach is, you are the one who will have to do the work. Your coach can make you feel empowered, enthusiastic, and clear about your ability to succeed, and how to succeed while you are having a session together once a week, but then you’ll be on your own for the next 7 days without someone looking over your shoulder. Your coach will help you reduce any resistance you may have and give you all the tools you need to succeed but… will you take full responsibility for your actions, or will you let yourself down?
If you are someone who tends to do more for other people than you do for yourself, you absolutely need a coach, right now, to help you create the career and the life you deserve instead of playing small.
If anything you read in this article resonated with you, please click here to schedule a complimentary call with me. We will discuss how I can help you improve your mindset and habits so that you can finally be free from the pressure and negative feelings that have been consuming you for so long.
About the author: Dr. Audrey Reille has empowered thousands of professionals through one-on-one coaching, group coaching, speaking engagements, and online courses. Audrey is the go-to executive coach for leaders in higher education administration. She empowers them to thrive by improving communication, confidence, executive presence, effectiveness reducing stress, optimizing strategies, improving professional relationships, and developing a strong and empowered mindset.