Monday Madness
- Tavia Robinson
- May 4
- 2 min read
Monday Madness: Are You Managing Time… or Leading It?
“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”
— Stephen Covey
Pause for a moment.
Not to escape the noise—but to notice it.
-Take a breath in…Exhale slowly…Again…
-Take a breath in…Exhale slowly...
And once more…
Take a breath in…Exhale slowly
Now ask yourself, from a place of intention rather than urgency:
What’s actually driving your schedule right now?
In coaching conversations aligned with ICF core competencies—particularly Cultivating Trust and Safety and Maintaining Presence—a recurring theme emerges with leaders across industries:
-We don’t lack time. We lack alignment.
We become highly efficient at executing what was never strategically chosen.
As Henry David Thoreau reminds us:
“It’s not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is: what are we busy about?”
Reframing Priority Through a Coaching Lens
Priority (noun):
A conscious commitment to what matters most—reflected not in intention, but in behavior.
From a PCC perspective, prioritization is less about time management and more about:
Values alignment
Intentional decision-making
Accountability to what truly matters
A Practical Leadership Reset: 5 Coaching-Informed Steps:
1. Clarify What “Important” Means to You
What are your non-negotiables—professionally and personally?
2. Audit Your Current Reality Track your week.
Where is your energy actually going?
3. Identify Misalignment
What are you saying “yes” to that contradicts your stated priorities?
4. Experiment with Intentional Shifts
Run a “test week” where your calendar reflects your values—not just demands.
5. Reinforce and Refine
What worked? What didn’t? What needs to change next?
Reflective Questions for You and Your Team:
What am I consistently prioritizing—by choice or by default?
Where am I confusing urgency with importance?
What would shift if I led my calendar instead of reacting to it?
How often do I create space for strategic thinking versus tactical execution?
What conversations am I avoiding that are essential to realignment?
Leadership Call to Action:
This week, take one courageous step:
Remove or renegotiate one commitment that does not align with your highest priorities.
Then replace it with a deliberate action that does.
Invite your team into this practice. Normalize conversations about alignment—not just output.
Because in today’s climate, clarity is not a luxury—it’s leadership.
If everything feels urgent, nothing is truly leading.
You got this!
Coach Tavia, PCC. MEd, MAT
References & Further Reading
Live a Life You Love: 5 Steps to Set Your Priorities Straight
https://tinybuddha.com/blog/live-a-life-you-love-5-steps-to-set-your-priorities-straight/
How to Master the Art of Relentless Prioritization | Psychology Today
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog
Leadership Lessons: The Art of Prioritization | Devin Galloway | Medium
#MondayMadness #LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutiveCoaching #ICFCoaching #Prioritization #IntentionalLeadership #MindfulLeadership #StrategicThinking #EmotionalIntelligence #LeadershipMatters #FocusOnWhatMatters #ClarityIsPower
Tavia Robinson
EMPOWER COACHING & CONSULTING, LLC
732.743.5012
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