From busy to impactful | Psychology Today

I spoke to a senior director a while back, and he acknowledged that he hears this a lot. she said, “When I look back on my week, I don’t know why I worked so hard and yet failed to focus on what was important. coaching I’m creating space for my team and strategy, but am always getting sidelined? ”

Sound familiar?

This comment captures the reality that many leaders suffer in silence. Every day is packed and requires effort, but the impact feels flat. And as we enter the final quarter of this year, reflecting on our contributions will become even more evident.

Good news. There are ways to avoid ending another week wondering why you weren’t performing at your best on important tasks. Note. It starts with reframing how you structure your week.

1. List your top three accomplishments for the next 60 days. Please be specific. These should reflect your team’s goals and what truly moves the business as a whole forward. Without this anchor, everything on your calendar will seem urgent. Think in terms of impact, not activity.
2. Plan your appointments for next week. Include the obvious (meetings, reports, tasks) and the hidden (requirements, interruptions, preparation time).
3. bring A.I. into the mix. Share your goals and weekly efforts using your favorite AI tools. Ask them to categorize their workloads into three categories: Coordinated work: Directly advance results. Operational work: Keep things running, but you can also delegate or automate them. Jobs outside the mission: A routine that doesn’t distract or move the needle.
4. Readjust. Once you see the breakdown, make your decision. Take steps to free up time for important work, delegate or automate operations, and challenge or eliminate off-mission tasks.

Leaders who attempt this often experience moments of wonder and clarity. They realize how much of their energy is being spent on things that don’t deserve it.

Yes, this exercise can be done using paper and pen. But AI speeds it up and removes some of it. bias We all make our own to-do lists. It acts like a thought partner, holding a mirror up to you even before the week begins. Of course, no tool can replace your judgment. After all, insight and experience are with you. AI just makes them smarter and easier to use.

Please try this and let me know how it goes. As we approach the end of the year, now might be the perfect time to experiment.

Until next time,

sarah