Identifying the Rocks: Organizing Your Priorities

In one of my favorite books, First Things First, written by Stephen Covey with Roger and Rebecca Merrill, is a story of the man in front of his class with a pile of rocks and a jar. He puts the rocks in the jar, and then asks the class "Is it full?" "Yes," they answer in unison. "Oh?" he replies, and gets out some pebbles, which he adds to the jar. "Is it full?" he asks. Catching on, they reply, "Probably not." And then he added sand. And, finally, some water. "What does that tell you?" he asked. Answers included comments like "You can always squeeze something else in" or "Just get started." "Oh, not at all!" he said. "If you don't put the rocks in first, there won't be any room for the them.

I used to feel that if I just got organized enough or managed my time well enough, or even prayed enough, I would be able to get everything done that I wanted or needed to. But I'm convinced it's a myth. A creative mind always has more ideas than the physical body can carry out. Our only hope of inner peace is identifying the rocks in our lives, and making sure we get those things on our calendar. And the rest will fall into place. But if we don't know what the rocks are, or we don't put them in our lives first, we will never find the peace we seek.

Recently I was asked by a magazine to write an article. I had the deadline on my calendar. As I was checking messages on my car phone between appointments I heard a message from the magazine editor saying, "I'm going into a meeting this afternoon at 3:00, and I need your outline." Oops! Somehow I had forgotten to get the outline in my calendar. I glanced at my clock. Thirty minutes before I needed to leave for the next appointment. I raced home, turned on the computer, and cranked out an outline.

I know that if I had blocked out two hours to write the outline, it would have taken two hours -- but what I did in thirty minutes was perfectly acceptable to the editor. Much of our life is like that. If we make up our minds as to what is really important, and put it in our calendar, we will get it done. The real challenge is identifying what is really important -- what are the rocks? Glenna Salsbury, a professional speaker from Paradise Valley, Arizona, whose company is called "An Enduring Influence," says that it is important to identify five key values in your life. All of us can come up with four very quickly, but it is the fifth one, which is often our "unique factor." The immediate values, which came to my mind, were "a peaceful home," "good health" "meaningful work" and "healthy relationships." But what about that fifth one?

I've given it hours of thought as I wait in airports and creep through traffic jams. I just couldn't put my feelings in words until I read the letter from my pastor in the Sunday bulletin last week, and he said it beautifully -- God's love through me. What a rock! The father of a friend of mine put it another way: "I always want people to feel glad they saw me." Certainly I'm not always successful, but it's a wonderful goal and I will put a reminder on my calendar every week.

What are your rocks?

? Barbara Hemphill is the author of Kiplinger's Taming the Paper Tiger at Work and Taming the Paper Tiger at Home and co-author of Love It or Lose It: Living Clutter-Free Forever. The mission of Hemphill Productivity Institute is to help individuals and organizations create and sustain a productive environment so they can accomplish their work and enjoy their lives. We do this by organizing space, information, and time. We can be reached at 800-427-0237 or at www.productiveenvironment.com

Airbnb cleaning service Arlington Heights ..
In The News:

Inversion Space unveils Arc, a reusable reentry vehicle that can deliver up to 500 pounds of cargo from orbit to anywhere on Earth in under an hour.
Red flags like processing fees, urgent countdowns and requests for full Social Security numbers expose fraudulent settlement sites targeting consumers.
Comprehensive analysis of Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps examines usability, routing accuracy, data handling and features across the top navigation platforms.
Expert analysis reveals whether wired Ethernet or wireless Wi-Fi connections are safer for home internet use, plus practical steps to secure your network from attackers.
Australian construction robot Charlotte uses sand, crushed brick and recycled glass to 3D print fireproof, floodproof homes with reduced carbon footprint.
Cybercriminals are using fake invitation emails to trick recipients into downloading malware and stealing personal information and data.
Flying drones could help retailers fight a 93% increase in theft rates as Flock Safety promotes airborne security systems to track suspects and deter crime.
The Fox News Artificial Intelligence Newsletter brings you the latest news on the emerging technology every Saturday, highlighting top stories.
Hacker group Radiant stole data from 8,000 children at Kido nursery chain, demanding ransom and directly contacting parents with intimidation tactics.
As 18 states implement bell-to-bell cell phone bans, creative students use Google Docs, iMessage on MacBooks and Post-It notes to stay connected in class.
A sheriff's captain says deputies often spend hours writing reports between calls, but Axon's AI program, Draft One, helps them save crucial time in the field.
Sora 2, OpenAI's new video-generation app, can create AI-generated videos based on a singular prompt. The results are both mind-blowing and terrifying.
iPhone and Android users can reduce Wi-Fi calling battery drainage through settings adjustments, background app limits and stronger Wi-Fi connections.
Work email scams are becoming harder to detect as criminals use AI and spoofed addresses to trick employees into opening malicious attachments and links.
From her Arizona living room, Christina Chapman ran a covert hub that helped North Korean operatives infiltrate U.S. firms, netting $17 million in stolen salaries.
UC Santa Barbara researchers developed a soft robotic intubation system that achieved 100% success rates for experts and 96% for paramedics with minimal training.
Scammers exploit probate filings to target grieving families with fake fees and debts, Kurt "Cyberguy" Knutsson reports.
Automotive giant Stellantis becomes latest victim of widespread Salesforce breaches affecting companies like Google, Cisco and Adidas this year.
A woman from Washington reunited with her missing Maine Coon cat Louie after 11 days using Love Lost, a free AI-powered pet recovery platform.
Expert cybersecurity tips help Mac owners remove malware infections and strengthen defenses with antivirus software, password managers and system updates.
Meta's AI chatbot training rules bans sexual roleplay with minors and block access to child abuse material as regulators scrutinize its safety measures.
Online banking users face a new threat: web injection scams that overlay fake pop-ups to steal logins. Here’s how to spot them and protect your accounts.
Meta introduced Teen Accounts to Facebook and Messenger while launching a School Partnership Program for U.S. educators to report bullying within 48 hours.
Executive order signed by President Donald Trump tasks Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s MAHA Commission with using AI to find new cures for childhood cancers.
New FileFix attack tricks Facebook and Instagram users into running malicious PowerShell commands disguised as Meta account maintenance to deploy StealC infostealer.

Creative Storage Solutions

When the things in your home start crowding in around... Read More

Five Simple Tips to Get Organized Today!

Take time to declutter this summer...Writing can certainly consume the... Read More

3 Simple Filing Guidelines

One of the most basic ways to find papers when... Read More

Does Your Storage Make Sense?

What do your storage spaces look like? Do you know... Read More

Getting Organized - Getting Fit

In a speech entitled "Organized Living in a Disorganized World"... Read More

To Make a Change -- Take a Chance

Life is really all about CHANGE. In order to make... Read More

Identifying the Rocks: Organizing Your Priorities

In one of my favorite books, First Things First, written... Read More

Making Space - Letting Go of Clutter

To make room for new things to come into you... Read More

Managing Mealtime Madness

It is 5:00 pm and Cindy has no idea what... Read More

Organizing for Today, Tomorrow and the Next Day

Getting organized is hard. If it weren't, we wouldn't put... Read More

Finish in Style - Organizing Works!

One of my mother-in-law's many oft-quoted and wise declarations was... Read More

Breathing Life Into Dead Spaces

"I don't have enough room!" -- this is a common... Read More

Organize (and Decorate) Your Home on a Budget with Baskets

What's an item that can help you organize every room... Read More

How Long Do I Need to Keep This? - A Guide to Receipts, Statements and Financial Clutter at Home

In most homes, paper causes clutter. And it seems to... Read More

New Business? Changing Careers? Youve Got a Whole New Ball Game

When you embark on a life transition, the skills that... Read More

Getting Things Done: A Guide To Next-Action Lists

Getting Things Done (GTD), is a productivity methodology designed by... Read More

Choose Spice Racks That Help You Organize Your Home

Today you have almost as many choices of spice racks... Read More

Oh No, Not Another Interuption, How To Deal With Everyday Distractions

Every day I find junk mail waiting for me, whether... Read More

Spruce Your Environment, Spruce Your Spirit

After a long winter, this is the time of year... Read More

Balance- What Does It Really Mean?

Balance- what a popular topic these days! Finding a work-life... Read More

Get Organized: 10 Universal Laws

The Law of the 1st StepA good first step in... Read More

Get Organized -- Every Home Needs An Office

EVERY HOME NEEDS AN OFFICEYes, it is true that every... Read More

Technology...The Culprit and the Tool

Technology has given us the tools to reduce routine tasking,... Read More

Essential Tips for the Kitchen

* Cupboards and drawers should contain items that are grouped... Read More

Organize Your Desk ? Live Longer!

It may seem far-fetched, but by organizing your desk, your... Read More

reliable maid service Winnetka ..