Welcome to Leading People with me , gerry Marais . This week , it's One Simple Thing , where in each episode , I share a quick , actionable tip to help you bring out the best in yourself and others the best in yourself and others . One simple thing is created for young leaders , but hey , us older folks can still learn a thing or two .
Ask my dog he's learned a few new tricks recently . Here's a question for you what's the one resource we all have in equal measure , but can never get more of ? Yes , you guessed it Time . Yet so many of us act as if it's unlimited . How's about a perspective shift ? Treat your time like your most valuable asset . Why ? Because it is .
You can always make more money , but you can't make more time Once it's gone . It's gone , gone , gone , gone . This is especially true when you become a leader . You discover that your time is no longer your own . You've got people working for you who want more and more of your precious resource .
By the way , the other precious resource you have as a leader wait for it is influence . Yes , but there'll be more about having greater influence in a future . One Simple Thing episode . So let's get to this week's tip . For years , I struggled with overcommitting , saying yes to everything and everyone . Everyone , really yes , everyone .
What I realized the hard way is this Every yes to something unimportant is a no to something truly meaningful , like your health , your family or your professional growth . This is not to say that your team is not important Of course they are . However , you have an obligation as a leader to role model for them how to use time effectively .
So here's one simple thing you can try tonight . Before you end your day , take five minutes to plan your most important task , or MIT , for tomorrow . Write it down when you wake up . Protect the first part of your day to focus on that task without distractions .
That means no distractions , no emails , unless they're part of your MIT , and even then you don't need to open your email program to write an email . And even then you don't need to open your email program to write an email . No messages . What no messages ? Yes , just you and your MIT , your most important task . So you may be wondering why does this work ?
Well , starting your day with a win sets the tone for success . It gives you a sense of accomplishment , clarity and momentum . You'll feel great knowing that you've handled what truly matters to you before the day starts to pull you in a million directions .
In fact , your MIT , your most important task , gets you closer to achieving your goals , or your KPIs , or your OKRs , whatever . Don't you just love a TLA Three-letter acronym . So what are you waiting for ? Just go test it out . Just go test it out . Thanks for tuning in . Remember , small steps can lead to big changes .
Test out this one simple thing and notice how it transforms your day . Let me know how you get on . Reach out on LinkedIn and connect with me . Mention the podcast and if you'd like to learn more One Simple Things , then subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast channel and follow our LinkedIn Leading People page . Follow our LinkedIn leading people page .
In our next episode of One Simple Thing , we'll explore another easy way to be a great leader by bringing out the best in yourself and those around you . And in between , you can check out one of my longer conversations with leading people above . Yes , you've guessed it leading people . So until then , keep exploring and stay curious .