PRIMING ACTIVITY:

T i m e M a n a g e m e n t A c ti v i t y
( A d a p t e d f r o m h tt p : / / w w w . n w l i n k . c o m / ~ d o n c l a r k / l e a d e r /
ti m e _ m a n a g e m e n t . h t m l )

1. Have the participants read the Time Management Model and note

they will need to read the section on The Big Rocks of Time  (about 5
min.)

2. Break them into small groups composed of 5 participants. Have them

discuss what they have just read (about 10 min.).

3. The participants will now work alone. Ensure each person has a pen
and paper. Have them divided the paper into two columns: Life and
Work. Ask them to list their most important priorities in the respective
column. If a priority spans both columns, then have them draw a line
into the next column to show the priority is both a life and work priority
(about 10 min.).

4. The participants should join their previous group (or you can create
new small groups) and discuss their lists with each other (about 15
min.):

o Will the items that span both lists be the easier ones to accomplish?
o How will you handle the items that might contradict each other? For example
spend more time with family vs. work harder to get promoted?
o Which column(s) contains the most items and most important items? Why?
o What must you do to ensure these big priorities get accomplished?
READING #1

Reading Material: Time Management Model

The ability to manage time normally takes two skills:

o Organization: the ability to organize tasks according to their priorities

o Task: the ability to focus on the task on hand

This is shown in the model below:

o Perfectionists will often spend too much time arranging their priorities, but do
not focus on the task at hand.
o Slobs are always in disarray because they fail to prioritize and do not focus on
the task at hand.
o Doers focus on a task they are performing, but often fail to accomplish the
important ones because they fail to prioritize.
o Time Managers both prioritize their tasks so that they know which ones need
accomplished first and always focus on the task at hand.
We can also rearrange the two dimensions so that they show the four
steps of good time management when performing a task:

1. Focuses upon the task on hand to discover what needs to be accomplish.

2. Organizes the materials so that the task can be accomplished.
3. Uses the materials to get the task done
4. Uses one's inner-abilities and instincts to wrap things up (know when to stop
and what to finish) so that the next priority task can be started — don't waste
time on the unimportant details.

In The Big Rocks of Time  (it's the last section of the page), Stephen
Covey uses jars as a metaphor for the amount of time we have and
rocks for the tasks that must be prioritized (the bigger the rock, the
more important it is). And just as a jar can only hold so many rocks, we
only have so much time in a day to get the right things done, thus it is
important that we decide which tasks are the big ones (the most
important) to ensure they fit within our “time jar.”
READING #2

The Big Rocks of Time

Stephen Covey (1996) tells a great story about the real things that we
should devote our time to:

One day an expert in time management was speaking to a group of

business students. As he stood in front of the group of high-powered
overachievers he said, “Okay, time for a quiz.” He then pulled out a
one-gallon, wide-mouthed Mason jar and set it on the table. He
produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them one
at a time into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more
rocks would fit inside, he asked, “Is this jar full?” Everyone in the class
said, “Yes.” Then he said, “Really?”

He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he
dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing it to work down into
the space between the big rocks. Then he asked the group once more,
“Is the jar full?” By this time the class was on to him. “Probably not,”
one of them answered. “Good!” he replied.

He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand and
started dumping the sand in the jar until it filled the spaces left between
the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, “Is this jar
full?” “No!” the class shouted. Once again he said, “Good.”

Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar
was filled to the brim. Then he looked at the class and asked, “What is
the point of this illustration?”

One eager beaver raised his hand and said, “The point is, no matter
how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some
more things in it!” “No,” the speaker replied, “that's not the point.”

“The truth this illustration teaches us is that if you don't put the big
rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all. What are the 'big rocks' in
your life? Your children, your loved ones, your education, your dreams,
a worthy cause, teaching others, doing things that you love, your
health; your mate. Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you'll
never get them in at all. If you sweat about the little stuff then you'll fill
your life with little things and you'll never have the real quality time you
need to spend on the big, important stuff.”

So, tonight, or in the morning, when you are reflecting on this short
story, ask yourself this question: What are the 'big rocks' in my life?
Then, put those in your jar first.