Make Your Time Count - Big Rocks Rule!

Discover the time management tip that is sure to separate the winners and losers.

Do any of these descriptions sound like you? Burnt out, stressed out, rundown and tired? Out of balance; out of control? Too much to do; not enough time for family and friends?

Are you not able to get everything done that you need to? Too many interruptions? Do you procrastinate on important items? Too many priorities? Do you often feel unprepared and pressured?

Need a solution? - Time management skills can help you make the most effective, efficient use of your time.

The good time manager is not necessarily the person who gets the most done. Rather, the good time manager is a "macro time manager" who knows the activities that contribute most to his or her long-term success and personal development.

Time management practices enables a person to minimize the stress of work overload and to prioritize work and leisure activities. Organizing and prioritizing are the two most important time management tip skills for successful people managing very busy schedules.

Organize and Prioritize - A typical time management tip you'll hear is that time management only has to do with making up a good "To Do" list and consistent follow through. Right? Not really.

The ultimate time management tip has a lot more to do with what you are NOT doing rather that what you ARE doing.

Effective time management requires that you get what you have to get done, but more importantly, what you want to get done.

Successful time management requires balancing your life in each of the Seven Vital Areas:

1. Health
2. Family
3. Financial
4. Intellectual
5. Social
6. Professional
7. Spiritual

If you are out of balance on even one vital area (never mind two or three!) it is going to adversely impact your life experience. These life categories are where you must organize and prioritize.

It really not very difficult to identify the steps you need to take to ensure continuous progress toward your goals, and at the same time effectively manage your key life categories.

In order to lead a successful, balanced life, you are encouraged to use our free Life Balance tool. Give it a shot! You'll be surprised at how easy it is to use.

Down time - You Need It! Remember this important time management tip - take a minimum of one hour a day for yourself.

Whether it's taking a bath, going for a walk, or leisurely reading - make time every day to meditate/pray/or just be alone with your thoughts. You will be amazed at how much more productive you will be when you return to work.

The person who takes work with them everywhere, even on their vacation, and calls the office everyday - never really have a vacation. Breaks and vacations are for the purpose of reviving you. Use this down time wisely.

THE ULTIMATE TIME MANAGEMENT TIP

But first, a quick story...

One day an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will never forget.

As he stood in front of the group of overachievers, he said, "Okay, time for a quiz." Then he pulled out a one-gallon wide-mouthed Mason jar and set it on the table in front of him.

Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar. What’s this got to do with an amazing time management tip? Well, when the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?"

Everyone in the class replied, "Yes". He then said, "Really?" Reaching under the table he pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel into the jar and shook it, causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the space between the big rocks. Then he asked the group once more. "Is the jar full?"

By this time the class was on to him as he worked to demonstrate this time management tip. "Probably not," one of the students answered.

"Good!" he replied. He reached under the table again and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in the jar, and it went into all of the spaces left between the rocks and gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?"

No! The class shouted. Once again he said, "Good."

Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the top. Next, he looked up at the class and asked, "What is the point of this story?"

One eager class member raised his hand and stated, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit more things into it!"

"No," the speaker replied, "That's not the point. The truth this time management tip teaches us is: If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all."

Take a minute now and dig deeper into this ultimate time management tip. What are the 'big rocks in your life? Some typcial BIG ROCKS might include:

• your spouse,children
• family and friends/loved ones
• getting your education
• realizing your dreams
• contributing to a worthy cause
• teaching or mentoring others
• getting paid for doing what you love
• having time for yourself
• maintain good health

Remember to prioritize your BIG ROCKS first or you may never get to them at all. If you sweat the little stuff (the gravel and sand) then you'll run the risk of filling your life with too many little things that don't add value, and frankly - don't really matter

If you waste time on the gravel and sand, you'll never have the quality time you need to spend on the important stuff (the big rocks).

So as you are reflecting on this ultimate time management tip, ask this question:

What are the 'Big Rocks' in my life?

Once you know what your big rocks are, be sure to spend time on those items first, every day of your life.

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