Nothing defines a leader more than how they manage/mismanage their own schedule. Nothing. It is everything. Our lives and our leadership are made of moments. Moments that are irreversible and shape our legacy in this life and eternity. Yet if you are like me, getting a better grasp on our schedules can feel like a perpetual exercise in futility. To improve is less about big flashy changes and more about minor tweaks over the long haul that reach critical mass. How do we make small modifications that will, with enough time and tenacity, yield epic dividends in our sphere of influence? Here are a few manageable tweaks that I am finding increasingly helpful.

Be consistently early to every appointment and commitment.

The mantra by which I sincerely try to live is, “If you’re on time, you’re late.” While you can take that to obvious extremes, nothing is more disrespectful to others than being chronically late on meetings, tasks, and initiatives that you both agreed to with a time-activated commitment. As Louis XVIII put it, “Punctuality is the politeness of kings.”  Nothing will add a sense of nobility not only to your own profile but to those you respect enough to honor their time. Instead of being defined by last-minute, overextended busyness, we need to remember the words of Thomas Haliburton, “Punctuality is the soul of business.”

“Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” Philippians 2:4

Choose to be less of an efficient manager and more of a visionary leader with your schedule.

If we are not careful, the only effort we exert with our calendar is trying to fit everything/everyone in that flows our way in the most efficient way possible. We need to get out ahead of “to whom” and “what” we commit our finite and fleeting time. The classic statement by Peter Drucker is so true, “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” This requires a visionary mindset that doesn’t just work in their respective field but works on it. Schedule regular blocks of time weekly or at least monthly to do just that. The other side of the equation is to load all your meetings on the same day or two in the week. Tim Stevens, who gave me the idea, writes, “Stacking your meetings will keep you from getting bitter about meetings ruling your life, and it will leave you with a couple of days where your schedule is relatively open.”

“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” Philippians 2:3

Find an efficient way to collaborate and communicate how your schedule intersects with the other key players in your life.

The rub with our calendar is that we don’t live in a world that automatically and exclusively revolves around our schedule even when it is well-managed.  While some interruptions and conflicts are outside of our control, far more of them are likely to be expected and, therefore, can be prepared for/accounted for. It is not fair to our family, coworkers, or business partners to unilaterally set a schedule that does not take their plans into consideration. While we have adopted a shared iCloud calendar as a family and Asana as a ministry team, the number one help for me has been having the necessary “let me check with so and so’s” before I commit to anything on my calendar. (This would usually include my wife and ministry staff amongst others.). No high-capacity leader feels pressure to accept or decline a net-add to their schedule without a set protocol of collaboration beforehand and neither should you. Almost without exception, I have found that a gap of time between the opportunity and the definitive “yes” or “no” provides a much greater sense of clarity/conviction not just on the calendar but in me.

“Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” Philippians 2:2

Never compromise on relational pace or tone in your time management.

Time management is relational. Ultimately how you manage your time at home, work, church, and the community largely determines who you are. An unhealthy pace of lethargy or hyperactivity will produce an unhealthy you. If you find yourself rushing around trying to “squeeze in just one more thing,” the person you become will not be refreshing or wholesome for others to be around. Much of our irritability and rudeness towards others is the result of overloading our schedule with tasks and meetings that crowd out the margin we need to be loving, patient, and deferential in our tone. As I have heard Cary Schmidt say several times, “If we can’t get there by being like Jesus, I don’t want to go.” Think of that. Jesus, the One Who had more to do/could do more than anyone else in human history took the time to rest, pray, eat, and WALK next to others with a pace and tone by which his followers were not only touched but also transformed.  We can fill our schedules chock full of even good, strategic things and miss impacting the very people all around us that God put us on this earth to serve and lead.

“Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” Philippians 2:4-5

Our calendar having the right feel and profile, according to Carey Nieuwhof, is less about how we steward our time and much more about how we manage our energy. As Mark Batterson summarizes it, ““If you don’t control your calendar, your calendar will control you.” No home, church, or business is meant to be lead by an out of control calendar. They are meant to be guided by a God-called, God-enabled leader who faithfully takes personal responsibility for every nuance of what gets put on and what never sees the light of day on their calendar.