Life is so busy these days.
 
So often we feel overwhelmed by to do lists and the demands of others.
 
Have you ever stopped to think about which things are urgent and which things are important in your life?  This one step can transform your sense of busyness, stress and worry into a sense of calm and control even at the busiest of times!
 
We are all in the same boat.  
 
Every one of us gets the same 86,400 seconds every day.  
 
The difference is simple; how we choose to use them.  How do you choose from all the things that can steal your precious time? Why do so many of us put off doing the very things that really are the most important to us?
 
Let’s clarify things a bit...
 
The very wise Steven Covey showed us years ago that everything we do in life can be put into one of the following four boxes;
 
 

 
Picture what sorts of things might fit each box.
 
To give you some examples;
 
Urgent and Important tasks are things like fixing the gas leak, finishing an important project within a specific timeline, getting bills paid by the due date, or being on time for your child's event.
 
Urgent and Non-important things could include - clicking to view your friend’s Facebook post, replying to emails or ticking off small easy jobs even though they don't need to be done today. * NOTE that it can be very tempting to do lots of these tasks as they appear urgent but really aren't all that important.  These are often the ones that suck your time away from you and leave you feeling unproductive and overwhelmed.
 
Non-Urgent and Non-Important tasks are the ones that mostly stay on the ‘to do’ list or in the back of your mind for ages and often are only done in order to procrastinate.
 
Non-Urgent and Important tasks are things like spending quality time with your kids, investing in your self-development, eating well, exercising or going on a date night with your partner. 
 
Think about where you spend the majority of your time.
 
It is really easy to spend time on un-important things, particularly if they appear to be urgent. Think of all of those emails that are calling out to you, online posts to look at, little jobs that keep popping into your head that you could just get ticked off!
 
The best box to spend the most time in is the Non-urgent & Important box.
 
I'll say that again… it is best to invest your time into important things before they become urgent.
 
How great would it be to spend time doing stuff that really adds to your life before you are under so much pressure that it becomes critical?
 
How much time do you plan and programme into your week on a regular basis for things like doing study to further your career, spending quality time with your loved ones, planning ahead and setting goals, staying in touch with family and friends, and of course eating well & exercising.
 
It is never an urgent thing to 'eat well' or 'do a workout' (unless of course you have just suffered a heart attack or other major health crisis in which case it may well be!)  
 
How often have you heard yourself say "Oh my gosh, I must eat a carrot right now" or "I must go for a run this very minute."  These things are important but just like spending quality time with people, it can usually wait till later.
 
This is exactly the problem.
 
Think about it...
 
If we put off doing these important things on a regular basis there isn't an easy way to catch up. You can't make up for a whole year without strength training by lifting 50 sessions worth of weight all in one day.
 
A second thing to note is that, if we don't programme things in while they are non-urgent, things can turn really bad and head into the urgent and important box (for example - needing surgery because of a neglect of your health over a long time.)
 
Understanding the matrix allows you to identify the sorts of things that fit into your top left box. Non-Urgent BUT Very Important.
 
Then it is a case of choosing purposefully to make time for them and committing to small practical steps that work for you. E.g. "I will spend 15 minutes one on one reading with my child each day", "I will use my lunch hour to go for a 20 minute brisk walk with a colleague", "I will have a healthy breakfast and take my own lunch every day", or "I will enter a fun run this year and train for it two evenings a week" 
 
It sounds simple enough right?  Well it is and it can be so simple to stick with if you choose to make it a priority and book the time in regularly to be a part of your everyday life!
 
The key is to remind yourself of what's important so that all of that 'urgent' stuff doesn't take your focus away again.
 
Habits are set up by deliberate and focused repetition and are then easily maintained.  Resisting the un-important is key to allow time and space for the important!
 
I encourage you to give it a go. Grab a pen and make a list of a few IMPORTANT things you would love to start doing right now.  Pick the top one or two (strictly no more than that!) and start this week with a specific small step towards that.
 
Make it small and specific enough so as to not be able to fail.  You can extend it as you progress.
 
Enjoy all the benefits you will feel and drop me a line to let me know what differences you notice!
 
 
 
Lauren Parsons
 
lauren@laurenparsons.co.nz

  

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