Watch Out

81. Your time is your life.

Don’t let other people draw you into taking on their responsibilities. If someone at work asks you to review a document that’s only 40 percent complete, tell him or her that your review will be more useful when the document is complete. When you take on someone else’s job, you both lose. You lose time. The other person loses the chance to develop his or her abilities and grow in the position.

Value your time. While you should never refuse to help a colleague when the request is warranted, set standards about whom you will go out of your way to invest time in. Invest your time and energy in:

• People who are eager to learn

• People who clearly want to move ahead

• People with passion

• People who respect how busy you are

Your time is your life. When you spend time on things that don’t benefit or enrich yourself, you are quite literally wasting your life. Don’t allow this to happen. At work and at home, ensure that each moment of your life brings some kind of gain or satisfaction.

Weed out activities that are wasting your time. Every Monday, review your calendar and your “To Do” list. Make a list of activities—including long-standing commitments—you might be able to remove from your schedule. Think about new ways to invest your time. Sign up for a class. Take on a “stretch” project. Spend more time with your family. When you encounter people who tend to eat up your time with little payoff, look for ways to minimize your involvement with them. Respond by e-mail rather than phone to keep interactions short. Have an assistant or team member handle some of the load. Look to add activities into your schedule that are more valuable or offer a better payoff to you and your organization.

None of us can be all things to all people. Figure out what’s important in your life. Don’t be afraid to pull back from the things that aren’t.