We all know someone who seems to run from place to place, actively trying to put out fire after fire, and juggling multiple tasks, responsibilities, projects, and deadlines all at the same time.
No matter what they do, they can never seem to get caught up, and certainly never get ahead.
Like a real life version of whack-a-mole, every time they accomplish a task, another two pop up in their place.
Hopefully you’re not that person.
But I certainly was.
My first problem was that I’d always tied my vision of success to how busy I was and defined my productivity by the number of hours I put in.
No matter what I managed to accomplish (or not) I always had this lingering feeling that a 16 hour day was more productive than a 7 or 8 hour day.
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
The second issue I had was what was really killing me though.
It was my inability to differentiate and schedule what was important from what was urgent.
Productivity Secret: The Eisenhower Decision Matrix
Dwight D. Eisenhower put it best when he said:
What is important is seldom urgent and what is urgent is seldom important.
The ability to distinguish between tasks that are important and those that are merely urgent is a skill that will last you a lifetime.
Most people’s workflow and life are designed to react to a series of urgent tasks.
- They get a phone call, and answer it immediately.
- Receive an email, and read it right away.
- Have someone stop by, and stop to talk
The problem with all of these is they put you at the mercy of someone else’s important tasks.
What is the difference between an important and an urgent task?
1. Important tasks are tasks that will allow us to accomplish our goals.
2. Urgent tasks are those that require immediate attention, and are usually associated with helping someone else achieve their goals.
Obvious Statement: Important tasks are more important.
The Importance Of Planning
The key to ensuring that you complete your important tasks before allowing the urgent ones to use up all of your time lies in your ability to set and stick to a schedule.
Scheduling is one of the most important productivity tips there is next to defining your list of important tasks and goals.
I block out 3 hours every morning to work on my most important tasks first.
After that I respond to some of the urgent tasks that have come up but then I head right back into the important task zone, and work for another 2 to 3 hours on whatever is most important to me at that time.
Using this method I’ve been able to cut my work days down from 12 hours to 8, and then from 8 down to 6 or 7.
I’ve also been able to accomplish more in 3 days than I used to in 5 or 6.
Prioritizing and scheduling my most important tasks has been a game changer in my life and business, and I know it can do the same for you.
Focus on what’s important first, pursue your goals and dreams, and deal with what’s urgent afterwards.
Don’t worry, if it really is urgent it will still be there when you’re done.
