We live in an overscheduled age of calendar invites, long workdays and always-on accessibility. Jeff Weiner, the CEO of LinkedIn, swears by what he calls intentional “under-scheduling,” or essentially scheduling in blocks of meeting-free time. Is this strategy the best one for business success?
To hear Weiner tell it, yes. In an interview with Fast Company, he explains, “If you don’t take the time to think proactively you will increasingly find yourself reacting to your environment rather than influencing it. The resulting situation will inevitably require far more time (and meetings) than thinking strategically would have to begin with.”
Scheduling meeting-free time is a process that enables leaders to think. This strategic space frees people like Weiner to synthesize data, conceive new ideas, plan, look ahead, focus and ultimately innovate.
How can you start under-scheduling? Start by scheduling in a few short periods of free time. Weiner plans out 30- to 90-minute chunks of meeting-free time.
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