First Things First

"The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing."
-Stephen Covey

Managing our time requires tough choices. That means that sometimes we may have to say NO to important activities in order to attend to even more important activities that will enable us to accomplish higher priorities.

When we embark on a journey and we aren't sure how to get there, we typically jot down travel directions. So why are we so resistant to jotting down personal or professional goals or choices that would provide a road map - or at least a compass -- for our lives?

I work with a lot of small business owners and professionals including coaches, consultants, doctors, lawyers, and CPAs. For those in the service industry, time IS money. To be profitable in their work, they must learn to limit their investment of time if there will be a limited return on that investment.

Of course, money is just one way to measure the returns. A "return on investment" of time may also yield an emotionally healthy and well-adjusted child, a deeply satisfying marriage, or a beautiful garden. The key is to get clear about what's most important to you, and then march forth!

Several years ago I was talking with someone at a business luncheon, and at the end of our conversation he wished me a happy March Forth. I considered this to be a bit odd at the time, but I didn't give it much more thought. A couple days later -- on March 4th -- I received a homemade card from him. The cover of the card contained a picture of a beautiful waterfall. The inside of the card read, "Thunderous and powerful, yet oh so beautiful! May your power within thunder out, as you march forth and realize all your dreams. Happy March Fourth ." It wasn't until I received his card that I caught the literary ploy.

Today, as I think about those words - march forth! - I also think about something my colleague, Harold Taylor, says: "Major projects will never be finished if they are never started. The key to getting things done is to get things started. Pick a date and time and stick to it." In other words, march forth!

We offer a tool to help you take inventory of all the things on your procrastination list. Check out our RAM Dump at http://www.orgcoach.net/pdf/ram_dump.pdf , which will help you unload all of the sticky notes from your brain onto paper, and then provides four choices -- Do, Defer, Delegate, Dump -- for what to do with it all.

Once you are clear about what you want to DO, you may benefit from creating some structure to your workday to keep you focused on what's most important. Take a look at my sample weekly template if you are looking at how to create some structure: http://www.orgcoach.net/weeklyschedule.html

Author and coach, Cheryl Richardson, shares a technique that has made an enormous difference in both the success of her company and the quality of her life. Here's the technique:
Source: http://www.articlegeek.com/self-improvement/self_improvement/first_things_first.htm
Leadership