Most of us are under constant pressure to accomplish a lot in a limited period of time.
As a result, we must make critical choices: not only what tasks we will tackle, but when. In other words, we need to prioritize.
In his very popular book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey addressed prioritization with the chart you see below:
Every task falls into one of these four quadrants. Of course, items in Quadrant I – urgent and important - should be done first. But what should you do next?
Covey suggests, and we agree, that Quadrant III should come next – important but not urgent items. So skip Quadrant II – the urgent but not important items.
The chart illustrates a very critical point about prioritization: you should consider what will move your life forward (important matters) before whatever happens to be pulling at you right now (urgent matters).
The objective is to assess what you should do to move you closer to your goals. Tackle these tasks even if there are other items demanding your time and attention. If the items screaming for your time won't bring you closer to your goals, then delay until you address all the important items first.
Read more about time management, or check out the work-in-progress book 'Street Smarts 101: Lessons Textbooks Miss.'
Click here to learn more about the book The Skinny On Time Management.
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