Tyranny Of The Urgent

As we enter 2025, many of us are evaluating every area of our lives. One of the biggest battles we face on a daily basis is time management. How do we prioritize the best ways to spend our time?

Several decades ago, 4 little boxes called, "Tyranny Of Urgent" changed my life.

While the items listed in each of these boxes may not be appropriate to the situations that you face, I hope you get the idea. As a good starting point, start with the top left box, "Urgent & Important." Those are the pots on the front burner that are about to boil over. Those are the things that get top priority.

Depending on how you operate, you may have an effective way of delegating items that fit into each box. At the time I saw this, I was fighting an uphill battle to reclaim time at every turn. The blessing has been falling back on this simple strategy with most of my day-to-day decisions. What box does this decision belong in?

Beyond time management, this model has also paid dividends when I thought about how I should address certain situations from an emotional or mental standpoint. I spent thousands of dollars on therapists who couldn't help me understand what this chart did. If you apply the same filters to your mental and emotional reactions, you will find yourself in a much more positive headspace.

These 4 boxes can be the difference to a response instead of a reaction. A response is well thought out. A reaction is out well before thought.

If you're spending an exrtraordinary amount of time in any one box, it's time to figure out why. If you're able to find the balance to be able to dabble in all 4 boxes, you're on the right path. Your breakthrough is closer than you know. You don't have to stay trapped in the tyranny of the urgent!