The Dali Lama's advice on "Time Management"

Time management is essentially the discipline of moment management.  Creating intentions and next steps and then prioritizing action plans from moment to moment to stay on track and use each moment to its fullest.

It is hard to know what to put first if you don’t know what the first things are in the first place.  This is why I believe that the best way to start this section on time management is with an excerpt from the Dali Lama’s book “The Art of Happiness”.

When faced with a feeling of stagnation and confusion, it may be helpful to take an hour, an afternoon, or even several days to simply reflect on what it is that will truly bring us happiness, and the then reset our priorities on the basis of that.  This can put our life back in proper context, allow a fresh perspective, and enable us to see which direction to take.

The firm resolve to become happy – to learn about the factors that lead to happiness and take positive steps to build a happier life – can be just such a decision.  The tuning-toward happiness as a valid goal and the conscious decision to seek happiness in a systematic manner can profoundly change the rest of our lives.

Sometimes when I meet old friends, it reminds me how quickly time passes.  And it makes me wonder if we’ve utilized our time properly or not.  Proper utilization of time is so important.  While I have this body, and especially this amazing human brain, I think every minute is something precious.  Our day-to-day existence is very much alive with hope, although there is no guarantee of our future.  There is no guarantee that tomorrow at this time we will be here.  But still we are working for that purely on the basis of hope.  So, we need to make the best use of our time.

I believe that the proper utilization of our time is this; if you can serve other people, other sentient beings.  If not, at least refrain from harming them.  I think this is the whole basis of my philosophy.

So, let us reflect on what is truly of value in life, what gives meaning to our lives, and set our priorities on the basis of that.  The purpose of our life needs to be positive. We weren’t born with the purpose of causing trouble, harming others.  For our life to be of value, I think we need to develop basic good human qualities – warmth, kindness, compassion.  Then our life becomes meaningful and more peaceful – happier.

Please share your time management tips and tricks.  We would love to hear from you!!

The Middle Way

The following are a collection miscellaneous thought tools.  The first is the Buddhist principle of moderation or “The Middle Way”.

Buddha taught to avoid being caught or entangled in any extreme.  He taught non-duality; “Be not elated by success nor depressed by failure”.  The middle way is accomplished through the “Eight Fold Path”

Buddha taught that the wise man learns to meet the changing circumstances of life with an equitable spirit, being neither elated by success nor depressed by failure.  Thus one realizes the truth of non-duality.

The Dalai Lama defines the middle way like this in “The Art of Happiness”.

True happiness is stable and persistent despite life’s ups and downs and normal fluctuations of mood, as part of the very matrix of our being.

The eight fold path is subdivided into three different sections as follows:

Wisdom

1. Right understanding – know that all is not right; identify what is wrong and replace it with what is right.

We are responsible for our own destiny; only we can change the way we are!  We cannot change circumstances or people, but we can change our reactions to them.  Holding a right view will lead us to right action and to a true liberation.

2. Right resolve or intention – the honest decision to do something to improve oneself.

It is your commitment to your commitment. 

Morality

3. Right speech – the elimination of idle chatter, gossip and backbiting; harsh speech and lying.

This is simply living the golden rule that if you don’t have something nice to say or can not be constructive and compassionate when engaging in difficult communications, please refrain from communicating at all for the time being.

4. Right action – acting with honesty, compassion and humility.

Be a lovecat in action with everything you say and do; always be helping others to grow and succeed.

5. Right livelihood – one that helps you develop your unique potential and the understanding of those around you.

You can not separate your work life from your spiritual life.  Only you can determine what this means to you. 

6. Right effort – the development of insight and will power; the discipline to change.

Right effort is embodied in Jim Collin’s “Rinse your Cottage Cheese” metaphor (See Good to Great).  It is your personal discipline.

Meditation

7. Right mindfulness – learning to be constantly and acutely aware of your thoughts, words and actions.

This requires constant vigilance and mind control.  You are not responsible for the negative thoughts and emotions that pop into your head moment to moment.  You are responsible if you allocate your current mental resources to focus on these negative thoughts and emotions as opposed to replacing them with positive thoughts and emotions.

8. Right meditation – routinely taking the time to enjoy nature and calm your mind to the point that you are thinking about nothing at all.

This is part of the rest and renewal process necessary to achieve enlightenment.  This is one of the biggest differences between eastern and western cultures.  Sometimes doing nothing is the most productive thing we can do.

The eight fold path can also be organized with the perfect thought, perfect word and perfect deed structure as follows:

Perfect Thought

      Right understanding

      Right resolve

      Right mindfulness

     

Perfect Word

      Right speech

     

Perfect Deed

      Right action

      Right livelihood

      Right effort

      Right meditation

The disciplined observance of the eightfold path will lead to “the middle way” which is the key to successfully executing the intangible elements of enlightenment which are moderation, contemplation, and renewal.

The eightfold path within itself adequately addresses moderation and contemplation.  It addresses renewal through meditation which is a critical element of renewal. 

However, in our modern times, renewal is about more that it was in Buddha’s days.  In out modern culture, we have to add proper diet and exercise into our daily routines in order to maintain ourselves as elite corporate athletes.  This is Covey’s seventh habit of “sharpening the saw”.  I would also refer you to the “The Power of Full Engagement” by Dr. Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz.

The most passionate voice for the value of celebration in business is Jack Welch.  He discusses this tool in depth in both his books “Straight from the Gut” and “Winning”.  Properly executed this team building exercise does not violate the concept of the middle way.

How do you practice moderation, contemplation, celebration & renewal?  We would love to hear from you!

The Six Practices of the Buddhist CEO

Buddha taught six practices to master on the path to reaching perfect enlightenment:

1. Offering
2. Keeping the precepts
3. Endurance
4. Endeavor
5. Concentration of mind
6. Wisdom

The following is a list of practices that organizations must master on the path to reaching their full potential:

1. Endeavor – Vision; commit to a bold vision!
2. Wisdom – Mission; create a unique and compelling value proposition for your targeted customer.
3. Keeping the precepts – Values; be principle centered and play within the rules.
4. Offering – Execution; consistently, predictably and reliably deliver on your stated value proposition from practice #2 above.
5. Concentration of mind – Avoid the rabbit trails of distraction and maintain a laser like focus along the way.
6. Endurance – Perseverance, never give up!!

Tell us about your six practices.  We would love to hear from you!