When I looked at my last post, I realized that it was related to the same author I wanted to discuss today: Rory Vaden. I have just completed his second book, Procrastinate on Purpose. Like his earlier book, Take the Stairs, this one focuses on time management or more specifically how to multiply our time. One of the most important messages I took from this excellent book is boiled down to the word: significance.
I have always been a person who prioritized and made a To Do list for each day, but Vaden took this to a whole new level for me, and I think it is very relevant for anyone in management. Not only do I look and analyze what I have to to do, but I need to think about the significance of each action, appointment, email, and telephone call. This affects every area of my life, not just professional, as I think about the significance of all I do in life.
For a person who is seeking to make a difference as a leader, this means that I will be saying "No" to certain tasks or even people and "Yes" to others. There is a constant evaluation process going on in my head to literally judge everything that faces me each day.
While it can sound tiring, I realize that as time goes on, I develop the skills to more quickly and painlessly evaluate and organize my actions each day. This can have dramatic effects on our libraries and how we lead and model leadership for others. I encourage you to read the book and look at how you invest not just your time, but yourself in the things you do that will make a difference for tomorrow.
