I have been doing a bit of soul searching in a few areas of my life lately and a friend mentioned to me the Steven Covey idea of four quadrants to help sort out our priorities.  After a bit of a Google search, and combining different people’s take on this idea I came up with this prompt chart:

  Urgent Not Urgent
Important Quadrant 1:Important / UrgentItems that need to be dealt with immediately

Firefighting

Quadrant 2:Important / not urgentItems that need to be planned for

Quality time / Productivity

Not Important Quadrant 3:Not important / UrgentItems that need to be minimised

Distractions

Quadrant 4:Not important / Not urgentItems that need to be eliminated

Time Wasters

Steven Covey would tell us we should work mostly in Quadrant 2 – the important things, and yet they aren’t yelling at us in a sense of emergency.  That is because we have habits of planning and productivity.  I should plan to work on these tasks in my most productive time of the day (4-6.00am) – my prime time.

I must admit a lot of my computer or office time, is in Quadrant 1 – important things become urgent.  Pressure!  The reason why I am in this state is because I live too much in Quadrant 4 – wasting time when I am in the office.  Ouch – but a good thing to see.

I have particularly appreciated those last words on each list: firefighting, productivity, distractions, time wasters.  I can quickly sum up my activity I get caught up in, or write on my to-do list.  By recognising which category my activities fall into I can start changing how I spend my time.  I can stop doing the time wasters, I can move on from the distractions, I can diligently work on what is important, reducing the urgency in my life.

  • Blogging:  Important but not urgent (q2)
  • Reading Emails/blogs:  Distraction (I couldn’t decide if it was important or not, urgent or not so this other word helped me place it in its right place) (q3)
  • Browsing:  this is a follow on from reading blogs – I dig into links going from place to place.  Distraction.  If there truly is something that my family needs then I need to earmark it as such and put it into a planned task to follow through.  Mindlessly browsing, just filling my head with information, is not important and yet habit, my desires or marketing will tell me it is urgent when really it is not.  (q3)
  • Facebook:  Not important and certainly not urgent – time waster! (q4)
  • Finance work:  It is important and often it becomes urgent – creating stress – which could be removed if I designated finance to the Q.2 and worked on it in my productive time of the day.
  • Emails:  In order to control my inbox I am dealing with emails when I first read them.  This makes it important and urgent.  A do it now task.  As long as I plan when I open them, which is kind of a q2 habbit, then I am keeping on top of them.  So emails fall somewhere between q1 and q2.
  • Writing projects – should be important / not urgent, but I delay so often they are in the important/urgent
  • Projects – I have lots of different happenings that need my input – ministry commitments, family events, household administration – more often than not they get ignored till the deadline is looming.  Functioning on adrenaline isn’t really a healthy way to live so I need to be more consistent with working on these projects in my productive time, not squeezing in time late in the afternoon (when there is always interruptions.) (q2)

It is quickly becoming apparent that I do indeed have many of my priorities right – as in I do plan to work on the important things – but I tend to leave them till they are urgent hence causing stress.  I tend to use my prime time, my productive time, for time wasters.  I do this because I have this sense of “I’m up early, earlier than everyone else, I deserve some me time” but reality is I have me time, time of rest, after everyone goes to bed in the evening, so I need to reshuffle my thinking on this one and use this prime time for productivity.

My sources:

These are the few blogs I glanced through as I looked for some principles from S.Covey.

http://www.thoughtscreate.net/tag/steven-covey/

http://www.teal.org.uk/sv/timemgnt.htm

http://sidsavara.com/personal-development/nerdy-productivity-coveys-time-management-matrix-illustrated-with-xkcd-comics

http://tinobox.com/wordpress/productivity/todo-sorting-by-coveys-and-blanchardquadrant/

The download link is on it's way.

Individual Education Planning Worksheets - brainstorming every area of your child's life.

Get your Planning Worksheets

I will email you the download link so you can start looking at all the different spheres of your child's life before you make any curriculum choices. 

The download link is on it's way.

An Alternative to Chocolate

An Alternative to Chocolate

Not that I have anything against chocolate - but these jelly beans can help your kids share the message of Jesus, his love, death and resurrection at Easter time.  

The download link is on it's way.

Parent Guide: How to make your Family Bible Study Really Work

Family Bible Study is Tricky with all the Different Ages

 

But there is a way to make this a rich learning and bonding family time.  This Guide includes tips, planning worksheet, and discussion prompts.  

Thanks for being here! The download link is on it's way.

Download yourCharacter Certificates

Though true character is driven by internal motivation, our children will appreciate when we see that they are growing in character.

Thanks for being here! The download link is on it's way.

Download your Character Certificates

Though true character is driven by internal motivation, our children will appreciate when we see that they are growing in character.

The download link is on it's way.

Download your Cheat Sheet

 

A quick reference to help you discern between a heart attitude and a lack of skill for when your child loses it!

Thanks for being here! Your download link is on its way.

Make God your First Response

Print out this parenting reminder to call out to God in the middle of the moment.

I'm excited to share this download with you. Watch your inbox.

Download Grow in Character Worksheets

Download Grow in Character Worksheets

I will email you the download link.

The download link is on it's way.

Download Grow in Character Worksheets

You will receive an email shortly with the details. Watch your inbox.

Thank you for being here - your download link will arrive shortly.

Download Parenting Poster

Download Parenting Poster

Learn to respond to your child in a way that changes their heart.

 

I will email you the download link.

The download link is on it's way.

Download Parenting Poster

Download Parenting Poster

 

Learn to respond to your child in a way that changes their heart.

 

I will email you the download link.

Thank you for being here - your download link will arrive shortly.

Our children hear different words when we react to when we respond. Do your children hear blah blah blah when you correct them? Includes a parenting poster.

Download Parenting Poster

 

When we Respond instead of React we find a way to deal with the heart not just behaviour.

 

I will email you the download link.

Thank you for being here - your download link will arrive shortly.

Download Character Lesson Guide

You will receive an email shortly with the details. Watch your inbox.

Thank you for being here - your download link will arrive shortly.

When family relationships get tense - look for the niggles.

Heart Focused Parenting Resource for the Intentional Parent

 

Your download will arrive in your inbox shortly. 

Print it out and use to teach the hearts of your kids.

Thank you for being here - your download link will arrive shortly.

Free Email Course

Daily emails  (6 days) to help you walk towards being a heart focused homeschool family!

You have joined the email course. Watch your email inbox!

Find ways to Re-engage your Student

Download this checklist and stir your child's curiosity

Watch your Inbox - the Checklist is on it's way!

FREE Parenting Worksheet

This worksheet will help you move from addressing behaviour to really parenting the heart, one issue at a time.

 

 

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Personal growth starts with an honest assessment

The download link is on it's way. Please check your email.

Give Effective Consequences

Think before you React

Thanks for being here! The download link is on it's way.

 

Thanks for being here! The download link is on it's way.

One Another Verses

Be Intentional in the Teen Years

Use this Cheat Sheet to remind you of how you can love your teen.

Thanks for being here! The download link is on it's way.

#14 Heart Booster from Resource Library

Thanks for being here! Your download link is on it's way.

Download your copy

Download your copy

Blending Life and Lessons - and start your journey of changing your thinking about education.

Thanks for being here! Your download link is on it's way.

Download: One Another Verses pdf

Download this list of One Another verses and teach your children how to love others.

Thanks for being here! Your download link is on it's way.

Raising Kids with Character

ATTEND LIVE : FREE PARENTING WORKSHOP

A bonus for Heart Booster readers:  Learn how to teach character to your kids so that they can live their lives making values-based choices.

 

Live Session:  5th May 2021, 6.30pm AWST

Replay available until 16th May 2021

 

I'm so excited about this workshop - thanks for joining me!

Raising Kids with Character

REPLAY OPTION : FREE PARENTING WORKSHOP

A bonus for Heart Booster readers:  Learn how to teach character to your kids so that they can live their lives making values-based choices.

 

Replay available from 6th May until 16th May 2021

 

I'm so excited about this workshop - thanks for joining me!

Raising Kids with Character

WAITLIST

 

The Raising Kids with Character parenting workshop will be offered again this year - details yet to be confirmed.  Join the waitlist so you don't miss out. 

I will keep in you in the loop as soon as decisions have been made!

Bonus Reading list

 

Sharing my Homeschool Belief File

Knowing what you believe and why about education and homeschooling helps you make good decisions.

Thanks for being here! Your download link is on it's way.

Build your Family Routine
Starter Kit:

Assess and Plan how to use your time wisely with this worksheet bundle.

Instant download, and then join the Heart Boost Weekly, by confirming in your email.

Success! An email link is being sent to you!

Heart Boosters

Free Parenting Support

... delivered to your email inbox

Success! An email is on it's way!

Free email course

... delivered to your email inbox

Success! An email is on it's way!

Download: Family Devotional Activities (PDF)

Thanks for being here! Your download link is on it's way.

Download:Workshop Resource

This is a digital product. Download and print - but please don't share. 

Thanks for being here! Your download link is on it's way.

#21 Heart Booster from Resource Library

Thanks for being here! Your download link is on it's way.

Heart Boosters

Free Parenting Support

... delivered to your email inbox

Success! An email is on it's way!

%d bloggers like this: