Getting your schedule to fit in 24 hours

Getting your schedule to fit into 24 hours: not your regular time management

“It’s not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The question is, what are we busy about?”

— Henry David Thoreau

I came across an expression a while ago, and it has never left me since then. It read, “DON’T BE BUSY DOING NOTHING.” Here is the thing; from the moment you wake up each day, there is always a list of endless tasks lined up for you to do, and they will keep you busy all day. However, a question you must ask yourself each day is, “Of all the tasks that kept you busy during the day, did you also do the important and necessary ones? Here is what the “The Big Rocks” concept has to say about prioritizing our tasks in order of importance.

Our time, 24 hours (less than for most), is like a glass jar. Now, you have rocks that are large but can pass through the opening at the top. You also have pebbles and sand, and the three represent your daily tasks in order of priority, with the big rocks being the most important, and which, if left undone, will mean you wasted that day. Examples are your health and wellbeing, long-term career, family-related tasks, and other personal issues. The pebbles are also essential. They are the second-tier tasks that can sometimes become big rocks of left for too long and are the most prone to procrastination. Examples are work or academic-related tasks, especially for those who aren’t on their career paths yet. The sand is the other tasks directed towards satisfying your wants, things you feel like doing and the pop-up anytime. They are the least essential but somehow have a way of posing as crucial; watch out for them. Your core task each day is how to determine how best you can arrange them such that the jar takes up all your big rocks, as many pebbles as can enter, then filling the remaining space with sand.

If you notice, you’ll realize that not everything entered the jar because, as earlier said, the list is endless. But I can assure you that you will sleep a happy and satisfied person at the end of that day because you could do the most important tasks.

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