As I sit and write this blog post that was due a week ago, I figured what better topic to talk about than prioritization! Many of us have many daily, weekly and monthly responsibilities that get in the way of doing the necessary things that need to get done to tackle our “emergencies” or “less important items” that pop up regularly.
While we all have to respond to clients and internal customers, it’s also important to focus on getting those things done that may only take 10-15 minutes but are just as important as your core responsibilities. What comes to mind is the old analogy about the jar with rocks, pebbles, and sand. This analogy is 100% accurate. The rocks represent the most important times, the pebbles are the next most important and the sand is all the little stuff or the things that pop up. If you first fill your jar with sand and then add the pebbles and lastly the rocks, they won’t all fit.
But if you prioritize the rocks (most important items), followed by the pebbles, and lastly the sand, you will see that you will have time for everything. They all fit. So as you focus on your productivity, your responsibilities, and the important things in life, prioritize the rocks and then the pebbles and leave the remaining time for the little things (sand) and you will see how much better you are at moving yourself forward and getting the things done that matter!
Jeff Eriks – President
