When could a busy executive do his reading?

[Fritz58]

I'm a very busy executive. I scheduled my day so that my early morning starts with any computer work. Then I have meetings with my staff. Very short lunch. After lunch I scheduled time for customer meetings or unexpected staff meetings. I process at the end of the day (1 hour is scheduled though not always enough ). So the day is scheduled.

When could a busy executive do his reading: business books and magazines to develop the business, techniques and approaches? Does it worth it at all?

PS I do my personal reading during my commute as I have a personal driver.

[TesTeq]

Then I have meetings with my staff.

Make a book one of your staff members and schedule regular meetings with a book.

[Fritz58]

That is too simple I thought of using contexts approach as advised by GTD.

[enyonam]

That is too simple I thought of using contexts approach as advised by GTD.

I have the same challenge Fritz! I do not know the answer but I can tell you I have tried the context route - even tried @Read-Professional, @Read-Intellectual (for just general stuff I want to learn about) and @Read-Personal. Didn't work really well yet. I just don't make the time for those contexts. So I don't think there is a substitute other than making time in your schedule ... maybe one of those mornings @computer should be split between @computer and @read-professional. Or maybe give one of those commutes to @read-professional instead of @read-personal.

No point putting things in a context ... if you never get to that context. You've got to make time to get to that context. And you will know best when that time should be.

[AE Thanh]

In your spare time

Reading before bed is great and on weekends when you have some time. If you're really busy during the week then trying to squeeze it in is not effective (from my experience). Especially when you want to read business books, self-help, magazines, etc because you need to be able to focus without any interruptions and restraints.

Try to do it on weekends and before bed. Or, if you want to step it up, go to bed earlier, wake up earlier and read right after breakfast before you do any work.

[TesTeq]

Reading before bed is great and on weekends when you have some time.

When I see my bed I immediately fall asleep...

[Mardo]

I do my reading either on saturday or sunday when the office is closed and I have complete time to keep up with current professional updates.

[pgarth]

Hi Fritz:

Not much to add, because the forum responses have been great. Mine is close to cfoley's.

In reading your original message, I picked up on "very busy executive", "my staff", "personal driver".

I'm not sure which industry you're in, but it appears that you're reading stuff that has not specifically been written for you -- "business books and magazines". The challenge is within the first step of the GTD Workflow Map -- "What is it? Doesn't look like you have time to even decipher the material to figure out if there is any meaning for you that's applicable to your business.

I'm taking a leap here, but this is my vision:

-All reading material is collected by your staff.
-They are responsible for answering, "What is it?" and "Is it actionable?"
-They read the stuff for understanding and make a decision if the material is worthy of your time
-They get a copy of Dan Roam's "The Back of the Napkin" -- DavidCo staff heard him present at our recent staff meeting and it was great.
-Your staff cull the core message of the material down to a drawing, which is presented to you, along with any specific flags within the written material.
-You review their offering (really fast) and then decide "What's the Next Action?

Ultimately, I think, what you're really paid for is the last piece. Your ultimate 20K Areas of Focus and Responsibility are putting things into action -- from your own ideas or what you've gleaned from outside material.

What's fun about this idea I just dreamed up, is that if you decide on a Next Action, based on their work, then (when you delegate projects to them) they've already done the initial thinking and just continue drawing from there. Again, you're ultimately responsible for the integration of the thinking, but they can be responsible for figuring out what to think about.

I'm Interested in your thoughts -- I could be way off base, so apologies in advance, but my intentions came from a good place.

Regards,

Paul

I'm a very busy executive. I scheduled my day so that my early morning starts with any computer work. Then I have meetings with my staff. Very short lunch. After lunch I scheduled time for customer meetings or unexpected staff meetings. I process at the end of the day (1 hour is scheduled though not always enough ). So the day is scheduled.

When could a busy executive do his reading: business books and magazines to develop the business, techniques and approaches? Does it worth it at all?

PS I do my personal reading during my commute as I have a personal driver.

[enyonam]

GetAbstract is also a good way to see if you really want to delve into a business book.

[rightbrain]

I'm a very busy executive. I scheduled my day so that my early morning starts with any computer work. Then I have meetings with my staff. Very short lunch. After lunch I scheduled time for customer meetings or unexpected staff meetings. I process at the end of the day (1 hour is scheduled though not always enough ). So the day is scheduled.

When could a busy executive do his reading: business books and magazines to develop the business, techniques and approaches? Does it worth it at all?

PS I do my personal reading during my commute as I have a personal driver.

you sound exhausted, as if your environment has a tight grip on your movement.and .you have very little options to find the time to enjoy a soft piano piece of music.

david's methodology is a god send for people like us.
chuk every engagement for a week and read his book on a beach.
just do it......dont think......just do it........