Perhaps you've heard of the 80/20 rule, but don't know where it came from or how it was adapted. Please allow me to give a bit of background on the 80/20 rule before I jump into the way you can put it to work for you.
In 1906, Italian economist Wilfredo Pareto came up with a mathematical principle to describe the distribution of wealth in his country. He found that 20% of the people had 80% of the wealth.
A quality management guru, Dr. Joseph Juran observed a theory of the "vital few" and the "trivial many" and inaccurately attributed this to Pareto, thus the "Pareto Principle" was named and the "80/20 rule" was used to describe how to be more effective.
Focusing on the "vital few" in your life can make a huge difference in the accomplishments you'll make in your life. Examine a list of 10 things to-do, and chances are you'll find that there are 2 things that will have more value than the other 8 things combined. These are the 2 things that absolutely must be done for the day, and the other things can given to someone else to do, planned for another day, or ignored altogether.
By doing these 2 things, you will do more than you ever thought possible. Chances are these 2 things are often the hardest things on your list to do, and some would say that doing something is better than doing nothing. I would argue that doing these little things is a lot like doing nothing, because they're little things that don't amount to much at all. Doing these big things will give you the confidence you need to do even bigger things, and then you'll achieve more, and believe in yourself more, thus doing even bigger things, and the flywheel is now in your favor.
As Brian Tracy would say "Eat That Frog!" and do those difficult, valuable things, and watch your achievements go through the roof. Of course, you can always focus on the trivial few, and focus on just getting any old thing done. You'll be able to tick off many items on that to-do list, but never really get ahead. It's really up to you, and I hope you'll choose to make it great and eat that frog!
Phil Gerbyshak leads a team of IT help desk professionals in Milwaukee, WI, and finds that sharing his knowledge is a crucial component in his success as a leader and as a person. Phil's personal philosophy is paraphrased from Tim Sanders' fantastic book Love is the Killer App: "Share your knowledge, your network, and your love. The rest will follow." Check out more of Phil's musings at http://makeitgreat.blogspot.com
one time home cleaning Morton Grove ..Everyone knows that stress isn't good - that it can... Read More
Too much driving, too much shopping, too much rushing around,... Read More
If you have recently lost health insurance coverage through your... Read More
Did you know that taking a short trip, such as... Read More
These days, when people have become so conscious about what... Read More
I was a psychotherapist for... Read More
"Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into... Read More
Statistics show that all of us experience stress at one... Read More
Q. I have just recently come to recognize that I... Read More
There is one sure fire medicine that cures all difficulty... Read More
The future is nothing but a fantasy or a daydream,... Read More
Stress and anxiety can prematurely age our mind and body.... Read More
Of all the sources of stress in our lives, faulty... Read More
Are You Too Stressed?Is your stomach all tied up in... Read More
Who hasn't experienced "worry" at one time or another? Almost... Read More
There are times in every person's life when things do... Read More
Are you looking for stress relief? No drugs, no meditation?... Read More
"When you breathe, you inspire. When you do not breathe,... Read More
I love a good story and I know I'm not... Read More
The number one most popular issue that users of a... Read More
We are currently living in a capitalist society where money... Read More
Have you ever said the words, "This job/my life is... Read More
There may be so much you want to change in... Read More
Elizabeth, 32, cried during anger management class as she told... Read More
I hear from many people that they see ever increasing... Read More
eco-friendly cleaning service Glencoe ..I recently received this e-mail message about stress management (author... Read More
Over the years I've collected scores of comics and cartoons... Read More
1. Determine your "unique ability" and capitalize on itDelegate the... Read More
Whenever we think of 'stress', negative thoughts come into our... Read More
We are currently living in a capitalist society where money... Read More
* Play Romane's stress control seminar recordings, and read "The... Read More
I learned a valuable lesson recently. A short while ago,... Read More
Have you recently moved or started a new job? Do... Read More
Managing stress is not easy if you don't have the... Read More
"One day I'm a mother, One day I'm a lover,... Read More
Breathing is the vital force of life. It is considered... Read More
Elizabeth, 32, cried during anger management class as she told... Read More
So many of us live a stressful life. Unfortunately, when... Read More
Are You Too Stressed?Is your stomach all tied up in... Read More
Everyone knows that stress isn't good - that it can... Read More
Voice: Bill!Bill: I thought I heard a voice.Voice: Bill! This... Read More
The right amount of stress can be good for you,... Read More
To combat modern day stressors, you need to realize that... Read More
It is an inescapable fact, we live in a stressful... Read More
One of the best ways to combat stress and depression... Read More
Stress is an interpretation of an event or circumstance which... Read More
Many CEOs see stress as an intractable problem which would... Read More
Success in recovery, or rather, staying in recovery, is dependent... Read More
If you suffer from insomnia of any kind, the chances... Read More
Training Your Mind For Better Business and LeisureModern life moves... Read More
Stress Management |