Anne McSilver* presents six intriguing ideas to help learning leaders find more time.
“I have a need for speed,” proclaimed actor Tom Cruise in 1986’s original “Top Gun” movie.
It’s a catchy phrase that got replayed in headlines about the 2022 “Maverick” sequel.
It’s also an apt motto if you work in learning and development (L&D).
According to LinkedIn’s latest Workplace Learning Report, L&D pros feel more strategic, more influential, and more swamped with urgent priorities than ever before.
If you’re a learning leader, what you really need is a bigger clock with more minutes in the day.
Alas, rejiggering time itself is beyond the powers of a single blog post.
But let’s review some intriguing ideas about how time gets lost and how you can find it again.
You might even carve out some valuable moments for an overlooked priority: your own learning and career development.
Keeping up with demand
As learning leaders are tasked with spearheading large-scale upskilling initiatives, they need to expand their own skill sets to include more agility in the areas of leadership, business, and data.
Unfortunately, the opposite is happening.
LinkedIn Learning has seen a 23 per cent year-over-year drop in time spent learning by L&D professionals, at a time when continuing education is vital for building out innovative and forward-looking upskilling programs.
The good news (that sounds bad, initially): we all have some stolen time in each of our days — time that we can win back and reallocate to the vital business of learning.
How your time is stolen — and how to win it back
Time is both a universal and finite resource — we each get the same 24 hours in a day, and once we’ve used them, there’s no getting them back.
That’s why it is important to prioritize safeguarding your time, and being intentional with how it is spent.
How is time stolen? Sometimes it’s by a demanding client or coworker.
Sometimes it’s due to poor meeting management.
Sometimes it’s the responsibility of the person in the mirror.
Here’s a look at two of the biggest sources of stolen time, along with suggestions for how you can change behaviours and modify routines to create more space in your day.
Managing your schedule
Time management skills can be learned.
LinkedIn Learning offers a large selection of time management courses to help you examine your habits, find areas of improvement, and make targeted changes to your daily routines.
Here are a few tips to get you started.
1. Follow your internal clock.
Everyone has their own unique rhythm that determines when they will be most productive.
If you feel sharpest in the morning, schedule your most important tasks for that time.
Leave any work that is routine or mundane for when you’re not at your peak performance.
2. Factor in transition times.
Having your day booked from start to finish doesn’t allow you the time to mentally transition from one task to another.
A lot of the pressure we feel to remain busy at all times comes from within.
Giving yourself the space to close out one project before picking up the next allows for better focus on the task at hand.
3. Plan ahead.
Know what you’re going to do ahead of time so you can properly allocate your time to each task.
A great way to track this plan is by creating a work log.
Each day, record what you completed and set out a list of tasks you need to address in the morning.
Bonus: this record of your daily work helps you both quantify and qualify the value you bring to your organization.
Purposeful meetings that get things done
When you or your department are leading a meeting, you have the opportunity to improve the process so your meetings are efficient and productive.
LinkedIn Learning offers courses on becoming an effective meeting leader.
Here are the top ways to make your meetings meaningful:
1. Have an agenda, and stick to it.
Agendas are one of the most effective ways to protect your time — and that of others at the meeting.
Sending out an agenda before a meeting lets everyone know what to expect and allows them to collect thoughts and resources relevant to the meeting.
And if you consistently stick to the agenda, individuals will adjust their behaviour to meet the expectations of the group.
2. Eliminate meetings that don’t serve a clear purpose.
Some organizations start having meetings for a good reason but continue holding them long after that purpose has passed.
Examine the recurring meetings in your department.
How much of the information shared at that meeting could be sent as an email, or rolled into the agenda of another meeting?
3. Avoid back-to-back meetings whenever possible.
Just as you should allow yourself transition time between projects, you should place a buffer between meetings.
That way attendees have the chance to stretch, grab a drink of water, and let their brains switch gears.
Meetings with overtaxed attendees aren’t nearly as productive.
Reclaim your time and grow your impact
Reserving time in your schedule for learning and development should be a priority for everyone.
This is just as true for the members of L&D teams themselves.
Take some time right now to block out space on your calendar to reflect on your learning and career development goals, and then make a plan to achieve those goals.
The most important change you can make is to be kind to yourself.
Remember that your time is valuable, and allow yourself to take breaks as needed so you don’t get overwhelmed.
*Anne McSilver is a brand storyteller specializing in content marketing and communications strategy.
This article first appeared at linkedin.com.
