Stephen Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Haven't read it but I've borrowed a copy of the Personal Workbook. Flipping through, this quote caught my eye and I like it.

Life is not orderly. No matter how hard we try to make life so, right in the middle of it we die, lose a leg, fall in love, drop a jar of applesauce. - Natalie Goldberg

Anyway, in case you haven't read it also, these are the habits:

......for Private Victory.....
Habit 1: Be Proactive
Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind
Habit 3: Put First Things First

......for Public Victory........
Habit 4: Think Win-Win
Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then be Understood
Habit 6: Synergise
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw

I have a bad habit of just skimming books for what catches my eye & not reading them cover to cover front to back. Anyway, this thing sticks out. He calls it "The Time Management Matrix" .
We spend time in one of four ways.

I. Important & Urgent
Crises, pressing problems, deadline-driven projects
II. Important & Not Urgent
prevention, pc activities, relationship building, recognizing new opportunites, planning, recreation
III. Not Important & Urgent
interruptions, some calls, some mail, some reports, some meetings, proximate pressing matters, popular activities
IV. Not Important & Not Urgent
trivia, busy work, some mail, some phone calls, time wasters, pleasant activities

Near the end of the book there are some pointers on how to start living the 7 habits. Again, this sticks out for me.

4. Spend more time in Quadrant II. Decide what is really important and work on that. Say no to those things that are not in Quadrant II and work on empowering others to free up more of your own time and energy.


This calls for a little practice.

No, I don't think so.
Sorry but I have to say no.
Hmmm.....I can't. Count me out.
That will be a no for me. N-O.
Nah....no go.
Nope.
No. No. No. Yes....it's a no.
Nada. No comprendez.
Bu ke yi.
Hmm tak.
Beh sai.
Tak boleh.