Habit 3: Put First Things First
Work First then Play
Putting first things first requires us to decide what really are the most important things in our lives that need to be attended to. Sometimes this is very difficult to do and it can take courage to say that something is less important than you than you originally thought. Even when a task is NOT URGENT, but is still IMPORTANT, we need to remember to spend time on them as well. It is very easy to get caught up with activities that are URGENT but NOT IMPORTANT and we need to remember those things that we determine are of highest priority. Things that are NOT URGENT but also IMPORTANT are usually connected to relationships. Highly effective people make sure that they take time to nurture and build relationships.
Below is a time management matrix based on Stephen Covey's book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. It provides a visual representation, as well as examples, of the relationship between important, non-important, urgent and non-urgent activities.
Habit 3 is the Principle of Personal Management.
Below is a time management matrix based on Stephen Covey's book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. It provides a visual representation, as well as examples, of the relationship between important, non-important, urgent and non-urgent activities.
Habit 3 is the Principle of Personal Management.
Examples
Managing your time in Q2:
- Make notes and keep checklists
- Keep a calendar to track appointments
- Prioritize your activities
- Keep and work at good relationships