Many years ago, I read the short, compelling read called the "Tyranny of the Urgent" by Charles E. Hummel. It describes the constant tension between what's most important and what needs immediate attention.
You and I feel this tension every day.
Imagine being at work ready to tackle your most important task of the day, and the phone rings -- or a push notification pops up with pictures of a friend's vacation -- or a co-worker steps into your office to vent about your boss.
Suddenly, your best intentions of having focused productivity get tossed out the window. Now imagine this happening day after day. The amount of time that gets wasted becomes compounded. This happens more than you can imagine.
According to INC Magazine, "Research suggests that in an eight-hour day, the average worker is only productive for two hours and 53 minutes." They cite these 10 primary workplace distractions and the amount of time they distract us on average. Do any sound familiar to you?
Reading news websites--1 hour, 5 minutes
Checking social media--44 minutes
Discussing non-work-related things with co-workers--40 minutes
Searching for new jobs--26 minutes
Taking smoke breaks--23 minutes
Making calls to partners or friends--18 minutes
Making hot drinks--17 minutes
Texting or instant messaging--14 minutes
Eating snacks--8 minutes
Making food in office--7 minutes
You don't have to fall into this statistic.
As you prioritize your day around your most important goals or "key life accounts" (as we talk about in coaching), what's most important never comes out of focus. As Steven Covey urges in the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, you need to keep first things first. And by keeping first things first, you never lose traction in pursuit of your goals.
So, keep focused -- because your goals are worth it.
Hope this helps,
Bill
