People often ask me how I find time to write a weekly blog with a big, busy CIO job. I tell them all the same thing – it’s a discipline. I try to start early in the week with an idea, draft it one night, come back to it
the next night to finalize and then post it on Thursday or Friday morning. Topics are often timely; something strikes me and I tell myself “that will blog”. I add the idea to my running list. This week it included tips on doing presentations for executive groups, personal organization challenges and tips, and what’s possible to accomplish as an interim leader in just 6 months.
But this week I had as many as five new ideas but no time to start writing any of them. By Thursday night if I haven’t settled on a topic and started, I’m in trouble. Taking time to write may compete with critical work I need to finish up by the end of the week. This week was one of those weeks.
This week started out with a bang. By 9AM Monday, I was juggling 4 different issues. A system issue after a scheduled weekend service pack upgrade caused problems in our revenue cycle systems. There was an escalated physician report of an access problem over the weekend. Working with my team we could move all but one to closure by the end of the day.
It was a week full of meetings and follow-ups squeezed in between. And managing the endless stream of emails. But it was an atypical week with late afternoon/evening meetings and dinners with colleagues every night. This kind of evening schedule impacts one of my other disciplines – nightly exercise. I just have to find the time when I can.
We dealt with dissatisfied and frustrated physicians over EMR issues – some that we thought were behind us. We finished prep for our monthly executive IT Steering Committee which included some critical infrastructure presentations on a significant data center investment and disaster recovery planning.
This is what a week looks like for CIOs and their leadership team.
So the most recent blog topics I have added to my running list will have to wait for future weeks. My blog writing discipline continues. I probably need to go back to my original approach when I started blogging over 2 years ago – decide the topic on the weekend and start the draft on Sunday night before the week kicks into high gear.
But this week was one of “those weeks.”
Tressa Springmann on said:
I appreciated knowing that I wasn’t the only one having ‘one of those’. Gratefully they aren’t all like this and what our team’s are working so very hard daily to accomplish more than make up for a few of these tough weeks. Hang in there and know that even in the midst of my own five crisis and email overload your blog was one of the emails worth reading and super affirming!
Sue Schade on said:
Tressa, yes, our mission based health care organizations makes it easier to get through any kind of week. Thanks for the feedback!
Tushar on said:
I have been reading your blog since some time now, and I always wait for the next piece every Friday evening (in India).
In fact, on seeing the notification email today, the first thing that came to my mind was “How the heck a CIO gets so much time to write a blog every week”.
Now I know the secret. Looking forward to more great thinking/insights from you.
Sue Schade on said:
Tushar, appreciate the feedback and yes, now you know my “secret”. Will be interested to see more comments from you given you are working in a different culture than we are in the U.S.
Chris Greene Hutchings on said:
It is reassuring to know that Wonder Woman has rough weeks, too.
Sue Schade on said:
Chris, LOL — nice to know you think that of me!
Beverly on said:
Sue – it was a pleasure to meet you in person this week, I have been reading your blogs when time permits for a few months and I always wonder how others find the work life balance – including exercise and stress management etc., I struggle
With this and I wondered the same as others how does she have time to write, I know her schedule has to be busier than mine and I barely find time for myself – I have had a “two of those months” July and August due to juggling two classes, work, and family, so I appreciate this blog it helped me notice even more I have to get back to making time for myself and work harder on the balance! Any suggestions you have are appreciated!
Sue Schade on said:
Beverly, there is no silver bullet as you know. You have to commit to your own personal and professional goals. Helps to have a supportive work environment and boss that gets what work life balance means. And a support system at home. And lastly know that it’s ok to say “no” to something and say “good enough” on certain things.