Time Management

A while back I was reading about an expert on subject of time management.One day this expert was speaking to a group of business students and,todrive home a point, used an illustration those students will neverforget.As this man stood in front of the group of high-powered overachievers hesaid, "Okay, time for a quiz.

"Then he pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed mason jar and set it on atable in front of him. Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocksand carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar.When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside,heasked, "Is this jar full?" Everyone in the class said, "Yes."Then he said, "Really?"

He reached under the table and pulled out abucketof gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causingpiecesof gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks.Then he asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?"By this time the class was onto him. "Probably not." one of themanswered."Good!" he replied.He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He starteddumping the sand in and it went into all the spaces left between therocksand the gravel.

Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?""No!"the class shouted. Once again he said, "Good!".Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jarwasfilled to the brim. Then he looked up at the class and asked, "What isthepoint of this illustration?"One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter howfullyour schedule is, if you try really hard, you can always fit some morethings into it!""No," the speaker replied, "that's not the point.

The truth thisillustration teaches us is: If you don't put the big rocks in first,you'llnever get them in at all."What are the 'big rocks' in your life? A project that YOU want toaccomplish? Time with your loved ones? Your faith, your education, yourfinances? A cause? Teaching or mentoring others?

Remember to put theseBIGROCKS in firstor you'll never get them in at all.So, tonight or in the morning when you are reflecting on this short story,ask yourself this question: What are the 'big rocks' in my life or business?Then, put those in your jar first.