Do we do enough important things?

Published: Tue, 08/29/17

Hi

Stephen R Covey, in his book '7 Habits of Highly Effective People' he teaches a grid where you stipulate whether a task is URGENT or IMPORTANT.
Tasks or actions need balancing, too much urgent actions leads us down a reactive and pressured path. 

Important tasks are often not always urgent. These are the tasks that significantly improve our lives, however need planning, consistent work and dedication

How often do we find ourselves busying ourselves with lots of time critical urgent tasks only to find we have neglected something important?

We focus on getting the golden eggs...while forgetting to nuture and feed the goose that lays them.

Shifting focus to the important tasks creates a wider vision of where we are going. We start with the end in mind.

Try this:

  1. Write down an action, goal or task that, if completed, will significantly improve your life. 
  2. Is it important enough to you that you really should start taking action now?
  3. Create a mission statement, mantra..in fact anything that you can use as a reminder to help you keep the end goal in mind
  4. When you see yourself deviating from the end, important, goal. Stop and redirect.
  5. Once achieved goal (or at least well on the way too), find another.

We use this in fitness often. The 'big rocks' need addressing first.

These are the most important and without action will send you backwards.

For example, spending a fortune on supplements and new work out programs is a waste of time and money IF you are not managing your nutrition, drinking plenty of water (just water!) and sleeping well.

Important goals, actions and task require effort and the payback is often a long way off. 

Urgent tasks and actions often give immediate satisfaction and require little patience and planning.

Of course we get urgent things happening, however our main focus could provide huge dividends if we spend more time and energy on the important things:

  • - relationships
  • - career progression
  • - marketing
  • - children
  • - health 
  • - financial planning 
  • - friends
  • - freedom
  • - mobility and posture
  • - longevity

Each important action or goal you tick off leads to the next. What I often see is the next one on the list goes even deeper and drives real change.

Procrastination, impatience or busy urgency should be recognised and addressed as soon as you start deviating from your IMPORTANT goal or mission.

Find a slot of time at the end or beginning of a week where you list one or two important actions or goals that you will progress this week.

Then go after them...

J

James Chandler
Personal Trainer
07870 262741
www.eatwellandworkout.com


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