Company Time vs. My Time

How do you define company time versus your time? Do you “turn it on” at 8:00 and “turn it off” at 5:00? Do you respond to emails at 2 a.m. and expect your teammates to do the same? Obviously part of how we define our time has to do with the nature of our job and our role within the organization.

This question of balancing company time versus “my time” intrigues me when it comes to our personal and professional growth. If I’m willing to grow myself on my time, then I’m doing something that is good for me. It’s a sacrifice – but one I make willingly because I understand the benefits that come from it. It’s an investment I’m making in myself, in my future, in how I lead others and in what I have to offer my team and company.

If I’m only willing to learn on company time, well, I’m still learning. Yet if I’m unwilling to give up any of “my time” to grow or improve, is my commitment and level of investment the same? Is it okay that I’m not willing to invest in me yet my company is?

The answer varies from leader to leader and company to company. It varies based on our season in life. How you define your time versus your company’s time – or if you separate the two at all – is a choice that is left up to you.


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  • […] We don’t grow by accident. Doing isn’t the same as learning, and we can fall into the trap of thinking we are learning and growing just because we’re very busy doing. Continual improvement is a choice, and it’s something we must be relentless about if we are going to be the best at what we do. Read blogs, articles and books. Attend workshops. Ask questions. Make growth something that is ingrained in you, not just something you’re willing to do on company time. […]