Put important things first

The work should be organized. We should not focus on the eyebrows and moustaches, but on the priorities! In this way, we can do things step by step in a rhythmic and orderly manner, and achieve good results. Between urgent but unimportant matters and important but unimportant matters, which one do you do first? You may find it difficult to face this problem.

In real life, this is true of many people. As the French philosopher Bryce Basca said, "It is the most difficult thing for people to understand what to put first. They think that work itself is achievement, but this is a big mistake.

After determining which things to do, you must start according to their priorities. Most people prioritize things according to their sense of urgency rather than their priority. These people are passive rather than active. People who understand life can't do this, but work in priority. Here are two suggestions:

1. There is a priority list at the beginning of each day

Charles Shuwap, president of Bethlehem Steel, met with Ivy Lee, an efficiency expert. During the meeting, Ivy Lee said that his company could help Schwapp manage his steel company better. Shuwap said that he knew how to manage, but in fact, the company was not satisfactory. But he said that what he needed was not more knowledge, but more action. He said, "We are clear about what we should do. If you can tell us how to better implement the plan, I will listen to you, and the price is determined by you within a reasonable range."

Ivy Lee said that he could give Shuwap something in 10 minutes, which could improve his company's performance by at least 50%. Then he handed Shuwap a blank piece of paper and said, "Write down the six most important things you will do tomorrow on this piece of paper." After a while, he said, "Now use numbers to indicate the order of importance of each thing for you and your company." It took about 5 minutes. Ivy Lee then said, "Now put this paper in your pocket. The first thing in the morning is to take this paper out and do the first thing. Don't look at the other things, just look at the first thing. Start to do the first thing until you finish it. Then treat the second thing and the third thing in the same way... until you get off work. If you only finish the first thing, it doesn't matter. You always do the most important thing."

Ivy Lee added: "Do this every day. After you are convinced of the value of this method, ask your company to do the same. Do this experiment as long as you like, and then send me a check. Give me as much as you think it is worth."

The whole meeting lasted less than half an hour. A few weeks later, Shuwap sent Ivy Lee a check for $250000 and a letter. The letter said that from the perspective of money, it was the most valuable lesson in his life. Later, it was said that five years later, the small steel plant, which was unknown at that time, became the largest independent steel plant in the world, and the method proposed by Ivy Lee contributed a lot. This method also earned Shuwap 100 million dollars.

2. Write things down in order and make a schedule

It is very important for you to make good arrangements for your day. In this way, you can focus on what you need to do at all times. But it is equally important to arrange the time of a week, a month and a year. This gives you an overall direction, so that you can see your own grand plan.

Real efficient people understand the principle of priorities. They always arrange their time according to the principle of prioritization before dealing with the affairs of a year or a month or a day.

Ross Perot, a business and computer giant, said: "Everything that is excellent and commendable is on the edge of the knife every moment. It takes constant efforts to keep the edge sharp." Ross realized that after people determine the importance of things, it does not mean that things will automatically do well. You may have to work hard to do these important things well. Always put them in the first place. You must work hard. Here are three steps to help you do this:

(1) Valuation. First of all, you should use the four elements of goals, needs, rewards and satisfaction to evaluate what you will do.

(2) Remove. The second is to remove the things you don't need to do, and entrust others to do the things you need to do but don't have to do.

(3) Estimate. Write down what you have to do for your goal, including how long it takes to complete the task and who can help you complete the task.

 把重要事情摆在第一位

      工作是要有章法的，不能眉毛胡子一把抓，要分轻重缓急！这样才能一步一步地把事情做得有节奏、有条理，达到良好结果。在紧急但不重要的事情和重要但不紧急的事情之间，你首先去办哪一个？面对这个问题你或许会很为难。

　　在现实生活中，许多人都是这样，这正如法国哲学家布莱斯·巴斯卡所说：“把什么放在第一位，是人们最难懂得的。”许多人都不幸被这句话言中，他们完全不知道把人生的任务和责任按重要性排列。他们以为工作本身就是成绩，但这其实是大谬不然。

　　在确定了应该做哪几件事情之后，你必须按他们的轻重缓急开始行动。大部分人是根据事情的紧迫感而不是事情的优先程度来安排先后顺序的。这些人的做法是被动的而不是主动的。懂得生活的人不能这样，而是按优先顺序开展工作。以下是两个建议：

　　1、每天开始都有一张优先表

　　伯利恒钢铁公司总裁查理斯·舒瓦普曾会见效率专家艾维·利。会见时，艾维·利说自己的公司能帮助舒瓦普把他的钢铁公司管理得更好。舒瓦普说他自己懂得如何管理，但事实上公司不尽如人意。可是他说自己需要的不是更多的知识，而是更多的行动。他说：“应该做什么，我们自己是清楚的。如果你能告诉我们如何更好地执行计划，我听你的，在合理范围内价钱由你定。”

　　艾维·利说可以在10分钟内给舒瓦普一样东西，这东西能使他的公司的业绩提高至少50%。然后他递给舒瓦普一张空白纸，说：“在这张纸上写下你明天要做的最重要的六件事。”过了一会儿又说：“现在用数字标明每件事情对于你和你的公司的重要性次序。”这花了大约5分钟。艾维·利接着说：“现在把这张纸放进口袋。明天早上第一件事情就是把这张纸条拿出来，做第一项。不要看其他的，只看第一项。着手办第一件事，直至完成为止。然后用同样方法对待第二件事、第三件事……直到你下班为止。如果你只做完第一件事情，那不要紧。你总是做着最重要的事情。”

　　艾维·利又说：“每一天都要这样做。你对这种方法的价值深信不疑之后，叫你公司的人也这样干。这个实验你爱做多久就做多久，然后给我寄支票来，你认为值多少就给我多少。”

　　整个会见历时不到半个钟头。几个星期之后，舒瓦普给艾维·利寄去一张2５万美元的支票，还有一封信。信上说从钱的观点看，那是他一生中最有价值的一课。后来有人说，五年之后，这个当年不为人知的小钢铁厂一跃成为世界上最大的独立钢铁厂，而其中，艾维·利提出的方法功不可没。这个方法还为舒瓦普赚得一亿美元。

　　2、把事情按先后顺序写下来，制定一个进度表

　　把一天的事情安排好，这对于你成就大事情是很关键的。这样你可以每时每刻集中精力处理要做的事。但把一周、一个月、一年的时间安排好，也是同样重要的。这样做给你一个整体方向，使你看到自己的宏图。

　　真正的高效能人士都是明白轻重缓急的道理的，他们在处理一年或一个月、一天的事情之前，总是按分清主次的办法来安排自己的时间。

　　商业及电脑巨子罗斯·佩罗说：“凡是优秀的、值得称道的东西，每时每刻都处在刀刃上，要不断努力才能保持刀刃的锋利。”罗斯认识到，人们确定了事情的重要性之后，不等于事情会自动办得好。你或许要花大力气才能把这些重要的事情做好。始终要把它们摆在第一位，你肯定要费很大的劲。下面是有助于你做到这一点的三步计划：

　　（1）估价。首先，你要用目标、需要、回报和满足感这四项内容对将要做的事情做一个估价。

　　（2）去除。第二是去除你不必要做的事情，把要做但不一定要你做的事情委托别人去做。

　　（3）估计。记下你为目标所必须做的事，包括完成任务需要多长时间，谁可以帮助你完成任务等资料。

(This article is an original article by Zhuge Changqing, and the pictures are selected from the Internet. Welcome to forward it, and please indicate the source for forwarding)

Introduction to Zhuge Changqing: Zhuge Changqing, the inheritor and promoter of traditional Chinese culture, is willing to "learn from sages, promote virtue, revitalize China and benefit the world" together with people with the same ideals in the world.

(Zhuge Changqing: zhuge8031@163.com ）

Zhuge Changqing mailbox：

zhuge8031@163.com

Zhuge Changqing's Chinese Dream

Learn from sages and carry forward virtue

Revitalizing China for the benefit of the world

 （本文是诸葛长青原创文章，图片选自网络。欢迎转发，转发引用请注明出处）

诸葛长青简介：诸葛长青，中国国学传统文化传承弘扬者，愿与天下志同道合者一起“学习圣贤、弘扬善德、振兴中华、造福世界”。

（诸葛长青：zhuge8031@163.com）

Zhuge Changqing mailbox：

zhuge8031@163.com

  诸葛长青中国梦  

学习圣贤 弘扬善德

振兴中华 造福世界

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