If you’re like me, your “it” could be a number of things: publishing a book, getting that degree, learning a new skill, the list is endless.
When it comes to important projects and endeavors that need to be completed there have been moments where I felt like I just didn’t have enough time. How about you?
I used to always think, “I just need better time management skills.” Then you know what I found out? It wasn’t time management I needed more of, it was self-management I needed to be better at.
Think about it. Everyone has the same 24 hours in a day, yet there are some who seem to really make the most of their day and succeed at their goals while others simply just don’t.
I remember reading Stephen Covey’s book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” and he revealed how people spend their time in one of four ways (I’ll be brief but this is really going to bless you.)
#1 – Dealing with important crisis, problems and deadline situations. Ex: exams, “real” family and health emergencies, life and death circumstances
#2 – Participating in important preparation, prevention, and planning activities. Ex: building relationships, maintaining health, rest, reflection and recreation, new opportunities
#3 – Handling unnecessary distractions, unimportant interruptions, meetings, calls Ex: miscellaneous calls and emails, shallow relationships
#4 – Doing unimportant time-wasting, trivial, non-productive activities. Ex: watching tv shows and movies, gossiping, social media, shopping
Unfortunately, far too many people are spending most of their time in the #1, #3 and #4 ways. Their lack of self-management is keeping them from focusing their attention on the important areas found in #2.
Importance has to do with results. If something is important, it contributes to your mission, your values and your high priority goals.
• In essence, we discover that we should MANAGE the circumstances in #1 and take care of these things right away.
• We want to FOCUS our attention on #2 activities and plan to do them as soon as possible. Get in MAKE IT HAPPEN MODE!
• We need to AVOID the distractions found in #3 by delegating them as much as possible.
• And when it comes to #4…Are you ready for this? We need to LIMIT and maybe even DUMP #4 activities. That is of course, if you really want to get the important things done.
This is what successful people do. They stay away from the #3 unimportant urgent and #4 unimportant non-urgent activities.
They concentrate more on the #2 non-urgent activities, and as they do, they shrink the #1 important and urgent activities.
I want to encourage you this week that whatever your “it” is, make sure it finds its way into the #2 category and GET IT DONE!
Blessings in abundance,
~ Kish, The DO IT Master, “Coaching You to Get the DO Out of Your DON’T!”
P.S. This is the system I use to keep me productive and to get results. I know it will help you. Meanwhile, here’s an excerpt from another one of our Prayer Archives of Devotionals, “DECREE, DECLARE YOUR BREAKTHROUGH into EXISTENCE!”
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Open up your mouth and allow what you speak to create your world!
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