Franklin Covey demonstrated the art of organizing our time through a popular demonstration of fitting rocks and sand in a glass jar. If you are unfamiliar with this story, check it out in the video below before continuing on (4 minute video).
It is important to put your big rocks (important tasks) in first, followed by small pebbles and sand (even smaller tasks than were mentioned in the video!). When done the other way around, it simply will not fit.
Much like the art of organizing how we use our time, we must identify our “big rocks.”
They are big for a reason, right?
But no matter how big they are, it’s ok that all of our rocks are different sizes.
It would be an illusion to assume that just because the pebbles and sand are smaller means they’re insignificant. This is a common thought trap many people fall into and is often why so many people are not reaching their health and fitness goals, or are drowning in emails and text messages. These smaller “stones” need to have a place in the schedule or they will be forgotten.
I mean, it’s not their fault they were categorized as the pebbles!
Deadlines given by your boss, bills to pay and appointments to make are time-sensitive and thus get to be coined as the “big rocks.”
But let’s not forget the important role the sand, small rocks, and pebbles play in our lives.
Without them, our functionality would diminish.
For example, picking up a prescription from the pharmacy, going for walk, calling the doctor to make an appointment are all small tasks that usually end up on the to-do list that transfers from one day to the next unfinished.
But without caring for your physical, and mental health-your mind and body suffer. When your mind and body suffer, ultimately so does your productivity.
There is an important place for these “pebbles” when you use the technique of time-blocking.
Check out last week’s blog, Time Blocking, for details on how to utilize time-blocking in your life, and get those small tasks an important place in the schedule.
