What is the difference between something being important or urgent? As you can see from this card some of this has to do with timing. Important has to do with whether it needs to be done at all while urgent has to do with whether it needs to be done right now.
What if you come upon a car wreck with injured people. Would it be important or urgent that you call 911? Obviously urgent as people may die if help does not arrive quickly. But what if you have a paper due for a professor by the end of the week but your son has a basketball game tonight and he really wants you to be there?
The problems comes when we make the important into the urgent when it isn’t. If you would still have time to do the report (important) but you miss your son’s ballgame by making the report urgent in your mind, then you miss what was really important, a lost memory and experience with your child.
These are not always cut and dry easy choices but hopefully this card will help you to make better decisions.
Use this card to…
- Clarify in your mind what is urgent and what is important
- Help you not make what is important into what is urgent when it isn’t
- Prioritize your stress by prioritizing your timing of activities and responsibilities