This is one of my favorite quotes. I have always been one to make lists and prioritize, or I seem to get distracted by other things that come up that are not on the list.
We tend to get so busy and have so many things thrown at us, that we don't focus on the plan for the day. It was said that Bill Gates and Warren Buffet met when Bill's mother asked Buffet to dinner. They were both asked to give a one-word answer to the most important thing that has led to their success. They both gave the same answer, "Focus."
So if Bill Gates and Warren Buffet get it, and many of us have now heard this story, why don't we all do this?
Focus - when I think of that word, I personally feel like it means a few things. However, I mostly try to think of focus as something I need to do in order to get my goals accomplished, to get my "list" completed each day.
When I focus on my daily list, I try to put in the "Big Rocks," according to Zig Ziglar. The "Big Rocks" Zig speaks about are the big goals you want to accomplish in your life. For me, it's my family, my well-being, and my financial health. All of these things will lead me to my ultimate goal of a fulfilling, happy life. When I keep adding the "small rocks" in, you know, those little things that come up that don't matter or lead to completing the "Big Rocks," then I don't ever have time to get to the "Big Rocks."
Part of my prioritization has to do with the timing of tasks as well. So, I use Outlook to place "To Do" items that have specific times. If there are items that have due dates, then I will also place them on my Outlook Calendar with reminders at set times prior to the due date to give myself enough time to get things done that may be smaller items that need to get done in order to complete the "Big Rock" item.
When someone comes to me about something that is not on my list, I stick to my guns as much as I can by asking them for a specific time and date, either later that week or the next, where we can schedule time for both of us. That way, we have time to focus on the project and don't feel overwhelmed by everything else that we have to accomplish. When things are scheduled, our day is laid out and tasks must be part of that.
I've always believed that personal growth never ends, so keep working on time management to help relieve the stress in your life!
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