How do you decide on what is ‘first things first’ for you?
If you are like most people, urgent things go to the top of the list. However, the problem with that approach is that urgent things may not be important. In fact, surprisingly they seldom are.
Reading is not urgent but important, so it gets parked. The same applies to exercise – not urgent, but important – so it also gets parked. The trouble with postponing reading and exercise is that insight, productivity and health get affected. All are important to your well-being and success.
What’s the solution? Schedule important things. Then, do important things first as far as possible! Urgent things will get done but important things won’t.
At the end of the day what will count is not how much you finish but what you finish!