Last week I delivered my accountability workshop to owners, CEOs and key executives over a three-day period in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada.
Kelowna is western Canada’s wine region and Tony Stewart, CEO of Quails’ Gate winery, attended one of my workshops. Tony and I chatted about business and wine, and after the workshop I visited Quails’ Gate and sampled his excellent pinot noir.
As I was enjoying the breath-taking scenery along with a glass of Quails’ Gate’s finest, it occurred to me there’s a subtle difference between taking time to do something and making time to do something.
“Taking time” out of our schedule feels like an obligation, perhaps even a sacrifice. When you “take time,” you extract time from your schedule.
“Making time” feels as though you are thoughtfully carving out space in your schedule for something enjoyable. You are making a deposit in your well-being. For instance, “I decided to make time to visit the winery because I expected the experience would be delightful.”
If you think I’m splitting hairs, here’s the point: How might your behavior change for the better if you decide to slow down and make more time in your schedule for people and things that bring joy into your life?