Killing Time

In good time management, it’s essential to distinguish between ‘Urgent’ and ‘Important’ activities. Herein, lies our main problem. ‘Important’ activities are the ones that will lead to ultimate (spiritual) success.

These activities, however, don’t necessarily demand and insist on your immediate, undivided attention. ‘Urgent’ activities are pressure points that need immediate resolution, though not necessarily contributing to the bigger picture. The activities in Quadrant 1 are important, but they can end up dominating all of our time. The activities of Quadrants 3 and 4 are to be avoided as much as possible, or managed in indirect ways. This could involve reorganisation, delegation or minimisation. Effective people focus their time on Quadrant 2. Be careful not to mix up the urgent and the important.

Assess the last week and categorise where the majority of your time is being spent. Are there any key activities that require a different approach?