Page 228 - Roy W. Rice - CEO Material How to Be a Leader in Any Organization-McGraw-Hill (2009)

You Have Your Personal Life in Check • 209

Do not let another day go by where you missed putting time to areas
of interest to you because of work tugs and priorities. Or all of a sudden,
a week, months, or years go by, and you wake up one day in a fit because
you’ve lost what and who are important to you. Everyone can find four
minutes. And sometimes it turns into 14, but if not, you still have your four.
The same four-minute rule applies to people and issues at the office.
“If I spent four minutes on networking [for example], that would be more
action toward it than what I do now,” admitted one CEO wannabee.
That’s typical for most of us.
Then periodically check to make sure that you’re on track with
interests—at this point in time. Things change. Ask yourself: “Is this the
way I should be spending my precious time?” As you juggle your way
through, it’s okay to drop some balls as long as you chose the ones to drop.
One problem is that you can feel what you’re doing at work is so
important: People tell you you’re doing a great job (something you don’t
get a lot of at home), so your priority or importance can get skewed. All
the more important to consistently use the four-minute rule.

Set Your Ground Rules

When you know what’s important to you, set your own personal policy.
I’ve heard:

■ “I will not be away from my wife overnight. If I can’t fly in and
out for a meeting in the same day, my wife goes along.”
■ “I’m home with my family every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.”
■ “Every Sunday morning I reverse the role with my spouse, get the
kids up and dressed, and make breakfast and lunch, no exceptions.”
■ “I won’t take on a foreign assignment that keeps me and the
family apart for more than two weeks.”
■ “I won’t accept a job requiring more than a two-hour commute.”
■ “It’s a nonnegotiable point in my contract that my wife or one
family member can travel with me at any time.”

These dictates from CEOs can seem a little out of reach for most
of us, but as the old country and western song says, “If you don’t stand