Stephen Covey came up with a useful analysis of how you should allocate your time.
The framework for analysing your tasks is simple, there are two dimensions: Urgency and Importance.
Research found that the most effective people spend 65% or more of their time in Important and Not Urgent activity. This includes planning, relationship building, preparing for important events, setting direction, clarifying vision and values, empowering others, etc. The critical place to be spending time, this is strategic and pro-active, the real work that moves us forward and gets things done.
Effective people spend 20-25% of their time in Urgent and Important tasks. Dealing with crisis, pressing problems, deadline-driven projects, meetings, preparation, etc. While sometimes necessary, too much time here can lead to high stress levels and burnout.
They spend about 15% of their time in Urgent, Not Important activity such as dealing with interruptions, some mail and reports, some meetings, many immediate pressing matters and many popular activities. It is best to be aware of time spent here and choose to limit it by creating rules and parameters that others are aware of as well.
The Not Important, Not Urgent category, eg trivia, some conversations, time wasters, escape activities, shouldn't take more than 1% of your time as it is neither productive nor “refreshing”, this is where energy spent yields no return on the personal investment
When new tasks arrive use the 4 D's and this framework to decide how to handle them: Do it now, Delay it to quality time, Delegate it, or Dump it.
For more information on how to make the most of your time contact Amanda via the comment box below.
