Or 1440 minutes in every day. How do you use them? On task or wasted away?
In recent times I have attended quite a few leadership and time management seminars. Sessions facilitated by Proteus, Skill Path, VALA, and the Women in Local Government Network in the region where I live and work. 
The overriding message I hear is that in order to lead and manage well in the workplace you need to be focused and have lots of energy and in order to do that you must be fit and healthy.
Therefore diet and exercise are paramount. So how does a busy manager have time for exercise? They make time! There are no excuses. If you need to get up at 5:00am to fit it in then that is what you need to do. In the words of one trainer, “Suck it up Princess!”
It is said that it takes 21 days in order to create a habit. So for me to get up at 5:00am to exercise (and not being a “morning person”) will take 3 weeks of actually doing it before it becomes second nature.
So now this is my day:
- 5:00am Meditate
- 5:30am Yoga
- 6:30am Healthy breakfast
- 7:00am Leave for work and while driving learn French from Radio Lingua’s Coffee Break French via podcast
- 8:00am Start work – plan day and week using daily planners and Outlook Calendar. On tasks – no coffee
- 12:00 Walk or run for 30 minutes if possible and/or motivated
- 12:30 Healthy lunch
- 1:00pm Work on tasks
- 5:00pm Leave for home and listen to podcasts while driving
- 6:00pm Healthy dinner
- 6:30pm TV
- 7:30pm Reading and writing – sometimes work related
- 9:00pm Bed
On weekends I cycle on Sunday mornings and usually go for a long walk or a run on Saturdays. On Tuesday evenings I attend a meditation group. I regularly travel in the region for work as well as flying to Melbourne every few months.
The meditation practice has certainly helped me to get my life in perspective and to easily attend to the things I really need to do.
Sues Bent 