3 Ways to Manage Your Calendar: Dear Dan, How Do You Practice an Open-Door Policy
A world without boundaries can’t exist.
You can’t manage your calendar until you set boundaries.
Dear Dan,
I am learning how to manage my calendar and priorities. How would you suggest I manage the calendar and still continue to practice an open-door policy? I feel that limiting available time to “office hours” would then be perceived as limited openness and availability to personnel.
Jasmine
Dear Jasmine,
I respect your desire to be available. Isolation is the enemy.
In a turbulent world you’re always learning to manage your calendar.
I suggest you include boundaries along with your commitment to be available. People will understand that you cannot be available at their beck and call.
Boundaries are essential to healthy relationships.
Gather the team for a boundary-setting discussion. The following topics are relevant.
3 ways to manage your calendar:
#1. Manage your calendar for deep work.
How will the team allow people to engage in deep work?
Deep work requires uninterrupted time.
It sounds good to be available to everyone at the drop of a hat, but it’s not effective. It gives too much power to others.
Exception: The exception to closing the door once in a while is someone whose job requires constant availability. When a doctor is on-call, for example.
#2. Manage your calendar with closed doors.
Discuss creating times when people are allowed to be NOT AVAILABLE.
You already practice being not available. When you’re in the middle of doing things you deem really important, you prevent interruptions. Sometimes you leave the office to get deep work done.
#3. Establish open-door hours.
Discuss times of day an open door seems most effective and efficient. How much open-door time seems realistic?
Enable people to know when popping in is appropriate. Suppose every morning from 10 to noon and in the afternoon from 2 to 4 is pop-in-time.
Closed door time could be from 9 to 10 a.m. and noon to 1 p.m.
Expect people to adjust their expectations.
Tip:
No rule is unbreakable. If the house is on fire, go ahead and barge in.
Model boundaries:
Model healthy time management for your team/organization. You want people on your team to take care of themselves. Why would you treat yourself otherwise?
It’s OK to value yourself.
How do you balance availability with boundaries?
Tips:
Defeat distraction and manage your calendar: How Distraction-Addicts Find Focus
Live the big rock life: Put One Big Rock on Your Calendar
I have a sign with a cartoon of someone with a funny expression whose buried in paperwork. It states, “I am working on a time sensitive project, ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK. If you need to talk to me now, please come on in. If you can wait, send me an email and I will phone you as soon as possible. – Thank you.
Thanks Lynne. Adding humor seems useful in this situation. I’m glad you shared your approach.
Your way is better than, “Enter and die!”
My workplace opens at 8.15am. I start getting text messages and emails with questions starting at 6.30am at which time I am driving. The answer to the questions is normally in our protocols (covid) everyone has access to. These questions are usually the topics another team member can answer or they can read the information and find the answer right away on their own. As soon as I get into the office, as people walk by, questions or information pieces fly at me. I have repeatedly shared that I am driving and cannot help until i come in the office but it does not matter. I have clarified my boundaries and emphasize the importance of boundaries. All it does is for someone to say “I know you said you are driving but…” or ” I know you just walked in but…” or “I am sorry but I just want to verify…”I wear way to many hats and am expected to have answers to all the questions. It feels like people do not want to think and they want someone else to tell them what they need to do or what the answer is. It is absolutely exhausting to think for everyone and for multiple situations. Suggestions?
Wow! It probably doesn’t help, but you aren’t alone. Let me mull on a response.
For things that are easily found elsewhere or if you’ve already answered the question, I respond with a question. “Where have you looked already for the answer for this?” “What was the guidance you received in the past?” I’ve had employees send an email with a question that the answer was in an earlier email in the same chain. I responded for them to review the chain and then ask again if they were still unsure.
I have been scheduling office time daily in Outlook and and override if a meeting is urgent. This allows me to say no or redirect to my team lead (also getting better at delegating). I like the idea of focused open door hours balanced with absolutely no interruptions. I’m a healthcare Director available 24/7, but sometimes I need to shut the door and work!
Kim, you are right on point with your advice. I have found re-directing my team back to where the answer is has been effective. Sometimes it takes numverous times, but I have had good results with them being more self-sufficient. Boundaries must be set and regularly reinforced.
Also, if the boundary is that the days doesn’t start until 8:15, do not respond before then. This one is hard sometimes, I know, but if they know you will respond at 6:30, then they will keep reaching out.