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
limousine Ackley .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareWhen September rolls around, does it generally hit you like... Read More
Feeling stressed out lately? Don't worry, there is a simple... Read More
Today we have more stress in our lives than ever... Read More
Get at least 15 minutes of sunshine daily.Daily Exercise -... Read More
One of the dumbest things I have ever done is... Read More
26 ways to minimize and manage the unhealthy effects of... Read More
Are you a "worry wart?" Is that term familiar to... Read More
One of the ways I have avoided a lot of... Read More
What would you say if I told you I know... Read More
Lake Hopatcong, NJ (PRWEB) November 30, 2004 -- Here are... Read More
Perhaps you've heard of the 80/20 rule, but don't know... Read More
One of my favorite stories about change is the story... Read More
Stressed? Relax Right Now with 5 Super-Simple Stress-BustersStressed-out? Don't know... Read More
Of all the sources of stress in our lives, faulty... Read More
File this one under the category of "watch your language."The... Read More
Top Ten Ways to Reduce Your Stress at Home1. Create... Read More
Probably the least appreciated form of stress is college stress.... Read More
Stress ReliefStress is a big business in Western society. We... Read More
Rest.It's a good thing to do. As the story goes,... Read More
Defending your point of view can use up a lot... Read More
THE ENCHANTED SELF? teaches you how to access positive states... Read More
Use these simple tips to minimize stress in your day... Read More
If you're like most people, you have your bouts of... Read More
There may be so much you want to change in... Read More
First, let's make a distinction between pressure and stress. We... Read More
shuttle from O'Hare Alexander ..There are two types of anxiety:*Situational *Existential.Most of us experience... Read More
It was a self-exploration that made me understand myself. It... Read More
ResentmentsA wise friend once said that holding onto resentments is... Read More
Meditation seems to have arrived in the mainstream of late,... Read More
What is Stress?Stress may be defined as the three-way relationship... Read More
A grandfather, whose grandson came to him angry at a... Read More
Adversity is an unavoidable part of life. Death of a... Read More
I was a psychotherapist for... Read More
Fear, and its accompanying seriousness, causes our suffering. Fear restricts... Read More
1. Acknowledge that requesting support, guidance and partnership is not... Read More
Stress is normal. Stress is OK. Stress is the same... Read More
I love a good story and I know I'm not... Read More
Looking for all of the answers in how to manage... Read More
My son was watching a Richard Scarry video this morning... Read More
Lake Hopatcong, NJ (PRWEB) November 30, 2004 -- Here are... Read More
Several studies, including one of medical students around exam time,... Read More
Tough leaders are usually seen as ogres. Their exacting demands... Read More
The right amount of stress can be good for you,... Read More
Raise your hand if you have ever been rejected by... Read More
* Play Romane's stress control seminar recordings, and read "The... Read More
Stress relief and managementRecognizing stress symptoms can be a positive... Read More
To be a safe and predictable person for those around... Read More
I'm sure you have heard of IBS, irritable bowel syndrome,... Read More
Punch a pillowScream into a pillowTurn on your favorite music... Read More
If you've recently experienced loss or are going through a... Read More
Stress Management |