Play a little now. You receive a check for $86,400. You have just 24 hours to spend it. How do you decide what you will spend it on? Do you spin a wheel? Do you throw darts? How do you decide what to spend your new found fortune on? We are more likely to prioritize how we spend our money than prioritize how we spend those same number of seconds, 86,400, we have each day.

Vilfredo Pareto, the 1890s Italian economist studying distribution of wealth and the 1930s Dr. Joseph M. Juran, quality control program pioneer generalized a mutually found concept. Either person credited: 80% of the results - are achieved with 20 % of the activities.

Your experiences of high results in your work is likely because you act on tasks you discovered give you the highest return for your efforts.

Back to the game with the $86,400 check. Why are we more likely to prioritize how we spend our money than prioritizing how we spend those same number of seconds, we have each day?

Often it is because of not consistently using a prioritizing process or system.

Do you have a process or system for prioritizing your daily to do list? Or do you just go with the flow of the weeks events and wonder at the end of the week where your time went?

Usually to get results, start the week by planning, part of which includes prioritizing tasks.

Values or major life area goals are foundational and drive your daily-to-do list. Appointments work and personal are all in one planner.

You may notice, when you are clear and focused on why you do what you do, its easier to plan and prioritize. A prominent list of activities by values can increase effectiveness exponentially.

Stephen Covey says, Put first things first. By seeing values and major life goals everyday, its easier to decide what is most important to do.

Do you have a system or process for prioritizing? Is it working effectively for you. There are at least four documented. Just find one that works for you and you will get the results escaping you now.

Its clearly not just any activities that get results, but as Pareto or Juran found, its the right 20% of activities.

Do you want to assess your success with the basic ingredients to prioritizing ? Click here for a free online priority assessment!

Patricia Weber

Pat was one of the ground-breaking women in the technical sales of computers. As a successful salesperson and sales manager, she earned numerous awards and recognitions in her company and community. In 1987, in a corporate environment, she was asked to deliver self-leadership training programs to a diverse staff from sales, to administrative, to technicians. The program was so well received that training was soon her primary role as a computer sales manager.

Since 1990, via the self-propelled Professional Strategies, Inc., Pat coaches individuals, facilitates teleclasses and delivers workshops for organizations and associations who want solutions to reduce overwhelm, minimize frustrations and get clarity on a situation. She offers her expertise and experiences in Customer Satisfaction, Sales, Presentations, Improving Employee and Leadership Performance for business, industry and government and Self-Confidence Skills for individuals.

Her information-rich and high-energy coaching repeatedly brings appreciation of thoroughness in preparation and on-target delivery. Clients recognize they get an expert who delivers the right ingredients for high yields on investment of a professional delivery.