Forget about the small things…
While setting priorities, never give in to the temptation to clear up small things first.
Don’t allow yourself to get bogged down in low-priority activities.
MORE IDEAS FROM THE ARTICLE
“We must give a lot of thought to the future, because that is where we are going to spend the rest of our lives.”
- The first 20% of any task usually accounts for 80% of the value of that task.
- Once you begin working on that task, the first 20% of the time that you spend planning and organizing the resources necessary to achieve the task usually accounts for 80% of your success.
In setting priorities, always focus on the first 20% of the task. Get on with it and get it done. The next 80% will tend to flow smoothly once the first 20% is complete.
- Why am I on the payroll? Ask yourself if what you are doing right now is the most important thing that you have been hired to do.
- What are my highest value activities?
- What are my key result areas? What are the specific results that you have to get in order to do your job in an excellent fashion.
- What can I, and only I, do that if done well will make a real difference?
- What is the most valuable use of my time, right now?
RELATED IDEAS
A dream is the root of all success, for having a dream does not limit you on what you can do. Successful people allow themselves to lean back and imagine the kind of life that is possible for them.
- Who can do this job instead of you?
- Who can do this job better than me?
- Who can do this job at a lower cost than me?
- Can this activity be eliminated altogether?
Start by taking a bird’s eye view of your life and slowly nail down more specific goals.
Identify your big goal. Then get more granular and identify specific goals along the way.