When everything feels urgent, how do we make time for what matters?
Years in the corporate and philanthropy worlds taught me there will always be another email, meeting or request. The real question is whether our work creates value, strengthens relationships or advances a key goal.
A colleague shared a simple matrix that changed where I put my energy, and I thought of sharing it with you today:
Do. Decide. Delegate. Delete.
Deciding where to put energy matters most in philanthropy and the nonprofit sector, where resources are stretched thin and expectations are even higher. For foundations and grant managers, a clear mission and strategy help them decide which opportunities deserve attention, which partnerships to invest in, and when to say no. Without that clarity, responding to requests can consume time better spent creating impact.
For nonprofits, the choices can be harder. When funding is scarce, pursuing every opportunity feels necessary. Yet constantly adapting to funder priorities and reporting demands can gradually pull a leader into a frenzy. Meanwhile, essential work such as building relationships, developing teams, and planning for the future gets pushed aside. This is where delegation helps, but good delegation requires clear direction, trust, and room for others to succeed.
As Stephen M. R. Covey smartly puts it: “The key is not to prioritise what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities”.
In my work with leaders, I have found that deciding what to drop is often harder than deciding what to take on.
What is one thing you could let go of to make more room for your mission?
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