The one tool to get more stuff done

Do you find yourself at the end of a day thinking, where did the day go? I didn't get any of the jobs done that I had planned on doing.

This was me! Aside from the fact that I can be a procrastinator, there never seemed to be enough hours in the day.

That is, until I learned a really simple tool to help me stick to my goals, while I was studying to be a health coach.

It’s called Big Rocks.

Big Rocks are all of our dreams and goals. Maybe you want to lose 10 kilos, get healthy, be more calm, become financially savvy, start up your dream business or spend more time with your partner and kids.

Pebbles are all of the activities that we need to do or enjoy but they’re not absolutely critical. They might be things like getting creative in the kitchen, watching our favourite TV show, listening to the latest podcast, or catching up with a friend for coffee.

And the grains of sand are all of the mundane, day-to-day jobs that we’re responsible for like cleaning the house, paying the bills, doing the food shopping, taking the kids to footy practice and checking our emails.

It’s natural for us to want to focus on the pebbles and grains of sand, because they feel more important and take up more time. But if we prioritize these over the big rocks, we run out of time to ever be able to do the things that are really important to us.

Imagine a glass jar.

If we fill the jar up with the sand and pebbles first, there will be no room at the top for the big rocks. But if we begin filling the jar up with the big rocks, and then the pebbles and grains of sand, we’ll be able to fit everything into the jar.

I love this metaphor for our life. If we prioritize our big rocks – like getting healthy and having quality time with our loved ones - and schedule in time everyday for these non-negotiables, we will be a step closer to achieving our dreams. The pebbles and the grains of sand will always be there.

Let’s all be accountable to each other. My big rocks are writing a book, creating a 3-part webinar series and hosting a women’s group. What’s yours?

Love and blessings,

Cate