Mastering time

A big hello to my new subscribers - it's so good to have you here!

In analogue times I used to have four in-trays in a tower on my desk. The top one would receive new correspondence which I'd triage into the boxes below by A, B, and C priority. The C stuff would build up and every so often I'd go through it and it had become irrelevant so anything labelled C priority might as well be filed straight into the recycling.

This week, here in the 21st century, I've started an experiment with task-boxing instead of starting the week with a long to-do list, most of which gets rewritten onto the following week's to-do list.

I listened to this podcast about it and task-boxing is essentially just another way of organising your to-do list by breaking down your day into all the tasks you're going to get done today, booking them each into slots in your calendar, and truly focusing on one thing at a time.

So, instead of having a blank day with a couple of meetings in it and a big long list of stuff to pick at while getting distracted by other stuff and then getting the really important things done between 3-6pm on a Friday afternoon, my calendar has now got lots of colour-coded tasks taking up the spaces - in 15, 30, 60 minutes slots. Sadly, it's the truly focusing on one thing at a time bit that I struggle with!

I'd been doing this for two days and then discovered Elon Musk does it too. Obviously his 90 hour days are divided into five minute slots because he's just showing off. I did wonder whether to ditch the whole idea when I found that out but we can't let these people win so I'll carry on and report back.

And in an overnight turn of events maybe Elon's OK now? 🍿

At the very least when it comes to writing up my review of 2025, I'll be able to remember that I made a coffee at 10.45 on Tuesday 3rd June.

It's been somewhat revealing over the last few months to watch big global companies rolling back on their previous commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion programmes in the aftermath of Trump's anti-DEI executive orders. But, equally, it's been heartening to see many other companies like Apple and Costco refusing to.

With the election advances made by Reform in last month's local elections, we are seeing the same pushback in the UK with pledges to cease diversity initiatives at the councils that Reform now controls.

I thought this was an interesting read from the Sutton Trust about including social class as an aspect of diversity to include within DEI programmes as a way of helping more people to see them as a relevant and beneficial. Measures can include ending unpaid internships, to reviewing recruitment and promotion practices and monitoring class pay gaps.

I’m not going to give up working for a more equal world. Revitalising this newsletter, and making proper time for it (hence the time-boxing) and focusing 100% on the leadership work I do through ChangeOut is part of that pledge I've made to myself.

Because, it strikes me, that what we need more than ever right now is principled leadership and people who aren't afraid to show it.

Useful links 🔗

From Here to Diversity - guide to help charities to take positive and sustainable steps to increase the racial diversity of their boards.

Day of the Week 📆

It's Volunteers Week this week.

Have all my charity subscribers said thank you to their trustees? They often get forgotten but trustees are volunteers too. It's not too late if you haven't.

What am I reading? 📚

I'm reading Sikh activist, Valarie Kaur's "See no stranger", which documents her work as a civil rights lawyer and filmmaker, documenting hate crimes in the UK.

She encourages us to look at others and, rather than seeing strangers, to say: You are a part of me I do not yet know.

I find this phrase very moving, particularly in the week when the children who murdered Bhim Kohli were sentenced.

What am I watching? 👀

I read Paris Lees' memoir What it feels like for a girl when it came out and it's good to see it adapted for the BBC. It is disturbing and complex but real.

What am I listening to?👂

It wasn’t my truth is the only truth. I heard Felicity Kendall say this the other day in an interview about "The Good Life" referring to it not being preachy.

I liked that phrase. My truth isn't the only truth either.

Joy-giving things 😍

I asked Chat GPT what my social media strategy for my business should be and it told me to focus on Linked In. So I asked Gemini and it said the same thing. Truly terrible, but not unexpected, news.

I don't think I'm going to stop making silly videos on instagram though.

Have a great weekend

Lucy

I write this newsletter because I believe in sharing lessons in leadership and progressive ideas that help us all work towards a truly equal world.

If you like it, share it with your friends so they can read it too 📣

ChangeOut is created by Lucy Caldicott. You can find more about my work at ChangeOut.org. If you’re looking to have a chat about culture, leadership, purpose, equity, or a facilitated team discussion about any of those things, get in touch. You can also find me on Bluesky, Instagram, and, LinkedIn.

If it’s your first time reading this newsletter, find out more here.