On keeping a tidy desk : “ I like things organized . I ’ m really structured . Structure helps me manage stress and control chaos . Even at my house , I cannot stand to have stuff spread all over the place . It just drives me nuts ."
4 hours
Work Meetings Sleep Commute Eat Family / Downtime Exercise
6 hours
The biggest mistake some managers make ? “ Not knowing when and what to delegate . Trusting your colleagues is paramount to being able to manage an organization of this scale and complexity . You can ’ t insert yourself in every single thing . My success is reliant on hiring good people and letting them do their jobs well .” |
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1.5 hours |
1.5 hours |
8 hours |
8:30AM - Arrives at the office and preps for the day , such as reviewing to-do lists . “ I love to-do lists . If I write something down , it ’ s going to get done . I use them for short-term organization and for longterm goals .”
9AM - First batch of meetings . Sometimes one-on-ones , sometimes staff meetings , sometimes a 90-minute session for onboarding new employees at the 970-employee agency .
10AM - Analyze and review . This could be analyzing investment projects , reviewing updates on the $ 300 million expansion of the CalSTRS headquarters and often preparing for the monthly board meetings , which includes everything from reviewing financial statements to analyzing budgets to fleshing out the meeting ’ s agenda .
NOON - Lunch , typically a salad from the on-site CalSTRS cafe . If she has more than a 30-minute break , she ’ ll squeeze in a brisk walk around the West Sacramento campus .
12:30PM - One of Lichnock ’ s main responsibilities is working with the chair and vice chair of the teachers ’ retirement board to manage their public meetings ; this means “ managing the content , the agenda , the flow , the timing and the material that gets constructed .”
2PM - More meetings , such as the threehour executive staff meeting every Tuesday that covers project updates , strategic planning and adapting to a hybrid work environment . ( Some days Lichnock works in the office , some days remotely from home .)
5PM - Commutes home , uses the time in the car to connect with family .
6PM - Checks more work emails , as “ I don ’ t like that little red bubble that indicates emails are unread .” If there ’ s time , she ’ ll enjoy an outdoor activity with her husband like electric mountain biking on the trails in Folsom , or a hike or even horseback riding ; Lichnock grew up on a ranch and has ridden since childhood .
7PM - Dinner with family , often Mexican food .
8PM - Downtime with her husband , which usually means either reading ( currently Carol S . Dweck ’ s “ Mindset : The New Psychology of Success ”) or watching Netflix ( recent binges include “ Midnight Mass ” and “ You ”).
10PM - Ready for bed . “ I like to get between seven and eight hours per night . It ’ s restorative and I resolve a lot of problems and issues in my sleep .”
Jeff Wilser is the author of seven books , most recently “ Becoming a Firefighter ,” from Simon & Schuster ’ s Masters at Work series . On Twitter @ jeffwilser .
Each issue , we dig into the working habits of a top executive in the Capital Region , providing insight into how they get things done .
February 2022 | comstocksmag . com 29