Every activity we do during the day can be put in one of four quadrants:

QUADRANT I - urgent and important: Crises, pressing problems, deadline-driven projects

QUADRANT II- not urgent and important: Prevention, PC activities, relationship building, recognizing new opportunities, planning, recreation.

QUADRANT III - urgent and not important: Interruptions, some calls, some mail, some reports, some meetings, popular activities.

QUADRANT IV - not urgent and not important: Trivia, busy work, some mail, some phone calls time wasters, pleasant activities

Answer this question: What one thing could you do in your personal and professional life that, if you did on a regular basis, would make a tremendous positive difference in your life?

Chances are whatever you name; it is a Quadrant II activity. Effective, proactive people spend most of their time in Quadrant II.

What It Takes to Say "No"

To be effective, you need to stay out of Quadrants III and IV. To do this, you need to tell yourself and other people "no" to activities which lie in these areas. Suggest Quadrant II activities instead.

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Time Management - The busier you are the more important it is to stop and read this story.

One day an expert in time management was speaking to a class of business students. To drive home his point he used an illustration those students will never forget. As he stood in front of the group of over-achievers, he said, "Okay time for a quiz." He then pulled out a one gallon wide-mouth jar and set it on the table in front of them. Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them one by one, into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fill inside, he asked, "Is this jar full! ?" Everyone in the class said, "Yes."

Then he said, "Really?" He reached under the table and produced a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel into the jar and shook it. This caused the pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the rocks. He asked the class again, "Is this jar full?" By this time the class was on to him. "Probably not," one of them answered. "Good!" he replied. He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He dumped it in the jar and it flowed into all the spaces between the rocks and gravel. Once more he asked, "Is this jar full?" "NO!" the class shouted. Once again he said, "Good!"

Then he produced a pitcher of water and poured it into the jar until it was full to the brim. Then the expert asked "What is the point of this illustration?" One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you really try! you can fit more things into it. "No," the speaker replied, "that is not the point. The truth this illustration teaches us is this: If you don't put the big rocks in first you will not get them in at all.

What are the big rocks in your life? Your children, your spouse, your loved ones, friendships, education, and your dreams. A worthy cause. Teaching or mentoring others. Doing things that you love. Time for yourself. Your health. Remember to put these big rocks in first or you will never get them in at all."

If you sweat the little stuff (i..e. gravel and sand) then you will fill your life with little things to worry about that don't really matter, and you will never have the time you need to spend on the important stuff (big rocks). "So tonight, when you are reflecting on this short story ask yourself this question: What are the big rocks in my life? Then put those in your jar first.