As a former leader in a large District Attorney’s Office and now a business owner, I’ve personally wrestled with the concept of time. Whenever, I attend a funeral or a new year begins and resolution season hits, I am reminded to live differently—not busier, but more intentionally. More authentically. To spend my time in ways that align with what matters most to me.
I have learned the lesson over and over again, that there will never be enough time in our personal or professional lives and that I must think about how to live life intentionally each day.
The High-Achiever Time Trap
As an Executive Coach, I have the privilege of working with amazing people —and most say some version of the same sentence: “There just isn’t enough time.” These are capable, intelligent, driven people. And still, for many time becomes the enemy. A majority of strong leaders have a daily fight with the clock.
So, they run.
From meeting to meeting. From call to call. From task to task. Crossing off to-do lists like it’s oxygen. Counting the moments until the next weekend, the next vacation, the next break will finally make them feel alive again.
But when you let go of that struggle, something shifts immediately:
You become calmer.
You become clearer.
You become more confident.
You become more effective.
Time Management Isn’t the First Step
Yes—I work with clients on time management, prioritizing, and organizational practices that display confident leadership. These skills matter. They matter a lot. But before we talk about calendars, systems, and strategies, we must rethink our beliefs about time and ourselves.
To do that…I work on myself and with my clients every day to…
- Understand that there will never be enough time.
- Forgive ourselves for not being able to do it all.
- Accept that Time tells the truth- How we spend our time reflects our values.
- Instead of waking up and asking, “How much can I get done?” try asking: “What is important to me today?”
- We must take a break from the addiction of chaos and set intentions.
If you’d like help applying these practices to your schedule—your real workload, your leadership demands —contact me at Tracy@tracymotivates.com. I’ll help you build time habits through intention that reduce chaos, increase confidence, and bring joy back into your leadership.