You need more buffer time 😵‍💫


You need more buffer time

Time Needed: 1m Activity

Outcome: More room to breathe, pivot, sustain

Hey email bestie,

Last week I promised to share more on the concept of Buffer time.

One of the best muscles you can build if/as you step into Management is adaptability. Being at the ready to pivot each day depending on what shows up is critical, or your calendar and mind will get swept up in the daily crisis.

You will always, ALWAYS have unexpected things occur in a week. Last minute conversations, employee suddenly quits, you name it. As a leader, your time is not your own each day.

Buffer Time allows you the ability to pivot daily as needed, without the cascading impact of reschedules. Plan for the unexpected, and as a bonus, if nothing surprising occurs, you have time to use towards your priorities.

Try this tiny experiment:

  1. Go to your work calendar
  2. Create a repeating meeting on Tuesdays and Thursdays for 2 hours (any time)
  3. Set it to private, busy, doesn’t block others, never ends
  4. Don’t worry about meeting conflicts for now

⚠️ Let the experiment run for at least a month. ⚠️

You might notice the space you gain right away. If not, that’s cool – you’ll notice it in a few weeks.

Folks will (mostly) stop booking over this time.

You’ll have space to pivot as needed.

Without cascading impact.

Decide if the current buffer time works for you – do you want more? less? daily but 30m?

Let me know what you think!

Monday Hour 1

Here's your weekly invitation to take time for yourself to approach your week with intention, a focus on impact and prioritize leading yourself in human-centered ways.

Monday Hour 1

  1. What’s top top top of the list this week? Why?
  2. Do you have space for the unexpected?
  3. What’s something you can delegate?
  4. What does your body and energy need?

That's it!

Help me shape something new for human-centered leaders

I'm curious to hear from folks who want to:

  • Coach instead of micromanage
  • Empower instead of solve every problem
  • Lead with more humanity and more effectiveness

If that’s you, would you take 5 minutes to share you brain juice with me? 🧠

I want to know what real leadership looks and feels like for you in this moment—not 5 years ago, not in theory.

It’s short, anonymous, and deeply appreciated.

Always feel free to reply (it makes my day!) and let me know your thoughts or what you would add to topics like this. It truly helps me improve, keep going and feel like I'm making this world a tiny bit better by sending this email.

Your Coach,

When you're ready, here's how I can help

Courses and Online Learning: From targeted workbooks to live cohort courses, invest in yourself at your pace.

Individual Coaching: Create focused space for driving clarity or evolution with built-in accountability towards a big goal or unblocking something in your way.

Training Experiences: Crafted for teams who seek create impactful, high-performing and inclusive teams.

COACHING
TRAINING
INSIGHTS
SPEAKING

Hey, Reader - you're a good boss and you've got this! 🥳

Grab a Quick Chat with Alison to say "hello!":

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113 Cherry St #92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2205
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