The second most common reason attorneys cite for not engaging in systematic business-building activity is everyone’s favorite catch-all excuse, lack of time. But here’s the simple truth: it’s not that you lack time for business development – it’s that you choose not to do it, and instead choose to do other things (many of which, of course, are important in their own right). The practice-changing – and indeed the life-changing – attitude shift is to accept the fact that you do not have time, or make time, or find time. You only choose to spend it, and you do so hour by hour, minute by minute.
Try noticing when you use the verbs “have” and “find” as you’re talking or thinking about a given situation where time is an issue. Then, as you become aware of how often you use this kind of semantic slight-of-hand to avoid responsibility for your time choices, try to replace those verbs with the verbs “choose” or “spend.” When you get this deep in your bones it becomes extremely powerful and impacts your productivity. For example, you will naturally begin to reduce the many time-robbing interruptions you choose to allow, and you’ll become more effective at delegating, so you’ll have fewer competing choices on your plate – which means you can choose to spend more time developing business.
