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It’s easy to get bogged down with the urgent things in life, the things that are screaming for our attention. Although many of those urgent things in life are important many of them are not, they’re just immediate. If I’m not careful I will sometimes neglect the important for the urgent because I don’t take the time to distinguish between the two. Don’t get me wrong the urgent things have to be done, but not at the expense of the important. Here are some practical things that help me to make sure that the important things are getting done.

1. Know my priorities.
Sounds simple, but before I can focus on what is important I must know what’s important. What’s important to God, my family, my job, or to making progress in a particular area?

2. Block out time.
While urgent things demand my time I have to make time for what’s important. I put the important things on my calendar and make sure they get my attention.

3. Just say no.
Because something is demanding my attention doesn’t necessarily mean it requires my attention. I ask myself, “Does this really need my involvement or can I have someone else give this the needed attention it requires?”

What are some ways that you make sure the important things are getting attention?

1. Determine what is most important.
2. Then go do it.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2.

A constant tension in my life is to “do less for more”. In other words to try and focus on the most important things in life, the things that bring the most value to myself and others. This doesn’t mean that I have less to do it just means that I spend more time on what is most important. Here are a few things I do to try and carry out this principle:

1. Prioritize. To do what is important I first have to determine what is important. 

2. Delegate. There are certain things I need to be doing and certain things I shouldn’t be doing. I try to delegate the things I shouldn’t be doing.

3. Pause. It helps me to take breaks to identify if I am doing “more for less” or doing “less for more”. Change of Pace + Change of Place = Change of Perspective

4. Listen. One of the best things to have is the voice of others helping you to stay on track with what is most important. No man is an island. 

What are some things that you do to help stay focused on what’s most important?