Invisible Appointments With Yourself

Productivity is a big deal for any high-performance person in today's fast-paced world. Almost everybody's life revolves around how much they can squeeze into their calendar. Something I don't agree with at all.

I was chatting with a client recently when he commented that I must be swamped. He wondered how I kept up with everything I had to do. I decided to share my calendar with him and asked, "So, what do you see?"

"Well, I see that you only have three appointments on most days. That surprises me."

Yes. I average three appointments per day—none on Friday through Monday. So I asked him where he thought I put my focus? On my scheduled appointments, or in the space in-between?

"I assume that you focus on your appointments, but that leaves a lot of time in your day. What am I missing?"

The answer is that I focus on the unscheduled time on my calendar. My goal is to create entire days with no scheduled appointments. I want to own the space between interactions with others. I consider it an "Invisible Appointment" I make with myself to use as I wish. It is also the most valued time that I own. That's the thing about time —

Time is your most valuable asset. It should never be allocated to anything other than what is most important in your life.

Yes, you will still honor your obligations.

Yes, you will still make time for friends and family.

Yes, you will get stuff done. But something else will happen.

When you choose to value the space between schedule time, you enter the world where the most creative, productive, and highest performing people live. It is a place where they focus on their contributions to the world and stay undistracted from day-to-day activities.

People who make and keep "Invisible Appointments" with themselves are the difference makers around us. They're not chasing the crowd. They are leading the way.

Schedule less and you’ll get more - that’s a promise.

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