Making the Most of the Remaining Third: A Leader’s Guide to Focused Progress

67% Two-thirds of 2024 has already passed. It’s a sobering realization, isn’t it?

32% One-third. That’s the time that remains in this calendar year.

As leaders and managers, we’re faced with a significant challenge . . .  How do we make the most of this remaining time? How do we ensure that we’re not just busy, but truly productive and impactful?

The Current State of Affairs

With only one-third of the year left, you’re likely grappling with:

• Completing crucial projects
• Developing your teams
• Managing revenue and expenses
• Adapting to unexpected changes in your environment

It’s a lot to handle, and you may be feeling the pressure of the calendar.

The Temptation to Overwork

When faced with limited time and substantial responsibilities, it’s tempting to:

1. Extend your working hours
2. Sacrifice evenings and weekends
3. Try to do everything yourself

However, this approach often leads to burnout and diminishing returns. Surely there must be a more effective way to approach the remainder of the year?

The Power of Focus!

Instead of spreading yourself thin and risking burnout, why not consider adopting the Focus Strategy? This can help you:

• Prioritize what truly matters
• Identify high-impact activities
• Empower and trust your team members

By concentrating on what’s most important, you can achieve more without sacrificing your well-being.

The Path to Deepening Your Focus

1. Pause and Reflect: Take a step back from the daily hustle to gain perspective.
2. Reassess Your Goals:
   • Review the objectives you set at the beginning of the year
   • Determine if they’re still relevant and achievable
   • Adjust as necessary to align with current priorities
3. Sharpen Your Focus:
   • Define your key objectives for the remaining months
   • Ensure they build on your achievements so far
   • Commit to completing work that will have lasting impact

Remember, this isn’t about adding more to your already full plate. It’s about identifying and committing to the essentials that will drive your success.

Three Questions to Guide Your Focus

To help you concentrate your efforts effectively, consider these questions:

1. How would my future self advise me to approach this final third of the year?
2. What are the most critical Results or Experiences I can create during this time?
3. What’s one task or responsibility I can delegate or eliminate to free up my time and energy?

These questions are versatile tools. Use them at whatever interval works best for you — daily, weekly, or monthly — to maintain your focus and direction.

Embracing the Opportunity

You still have a full third of the year ahead. Think of all you’ve learned and accomplished in the first eight months. Now, how will you apply that experience to make these final months truly count?

Time is limited, but your potential for impact is not. With a focused approach, you can turn these remaining months into a period of significant achievement and growth.

Are you ready to make the most of your remaining 32%? Download our free template featuring these focus-sharpening questions and start maximizing your productivity today.

Wishing you focused and fruitful months ahead,

P.S. Remember, it’s not about doing more, but about doing what matters most.

What’s Next?

• Run a self-assessment on your readiness for leading change and growth.

I’d like to introduce you to a simple tool for looking at your bandwidth and capacity for leading change.

My assessment tool, “Taking Root: Assessing Your Readiness for Leading

Change and Growth,” is all about preparing yourself for change – whether expected or unexpected! 

You can use it to take stock of your own approach, as the basis for a discussion with your team, or as an engagement tool for your whole organization. 

Download it for yourself here: https://rcachangeadvisors.com/downloads/

• Learn more about the three ways I work with change leaders and their teams.

Have you been curious about how you can work with me? Well, I’ve just added some new information to my website that describes the three ways in which I can help leaders like you. Read more:

1. 1. 1. 1. I support Individuals through Leadership Coaching
         2. I develop Leaders through Group Coaching and Learning Programs
         3. I enable Stronger Organizations through Effective Teams