Time Management PrioritiesPlay a little now. You receive a check for $86,400. You have just 24 hours to spend it. How do you decide what you will spend it on? Do you spin a wheel? Do you throw darts? How do you decide what to spend your new found fortune on? We are more likely to prioritize how we spend our money than prioritize how we spend those same number of seconds, 86,400, we have each day.
Vilfredo Pareto, the 1890s Italian economist studying distribution of wealth and the 1930s Dr. Joseph M. Juran, quality control program pioneer generalized a mutually found concept. Either person credited: 80% of the results - are achieved with 20 % of the activities.
Your experiences of high results in your work is likely because you act on tasks you discovered give you the highest return for your efforts.
Back to the game with the $86,400 check. Why are we more likely to prioritize how we spend our money than prioritizing how we spend those same number of seconds, we have each day?
Often it is because of not consistently using a prioritizing process or system.
Do you have a process or system for prioritizing your daily to do list? Or do you just go with the flow of the week’s events and wonder at the end of the week where your time went?
Usually to get results, start the week by planning, part of which includes prioritizing tasks.
Values or major life area goals are foundational and drive your daily-to-do list. Appointments – work and personal are all in one planner.
You may notice, when you are clear and focused on why you do what you do, it’s easier to plan and prioritize. A prominent list of activities by values can increase effectiveness exponentially.
Stephen Covey says, “Put first things first.” By seeing values and major life goals everyday, it’s easier to decide what is most important to do.
Do you have a system or process for prioritizing? Is it working effectively for you. There are at least four documented. Just find one that works for you and you will get the results escaping you now.It’s clearly not just any activities that get results, but as Pareto or Juran found, it’s the right 20% of activities.
Do you want to assess your success with the basic ingredients to prioritizing ? Click here for a free online priority assessment!
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Pat Weber - coach, certified telelcass leader, and corporate trainer, America's #1 Coach for Introverts. Working with small business owners, independent professionals and salespeople to get as successful as you want to be, have fun and work with more energy.