First Things First - Softcover

Covey, Stephen R.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0743468597 ISBN 13: 9780743468596

Publisher: Pocket Books, 2003

Synopsis

First Things First is a revolutionary guide to managing your time by learning how to balance your life. Traditional time management suggests that working harder, smarter, and faster will help you gain control over your life, and that increased control will bring peace and fulfillment. But in the first real breakthrough in time management in years, the authors of First Things First apply the insights of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People to our daily problems of struggling with the ever-increasing demands of work and home life.

Rather than focusing on time and things, First Things First emphasizes relationships and results. And instead of efficiency, this new approach emphasizes effectiveness. It tells us:

* Why we feel a gap between how we spend our time and what's deeply important to us

* How focusing on efficiency and control increases the gap instead of closing it

* How to determine if what you're doing is really important -- or only urgent

* How to overcome the tremendous gravity of habit

* How to put people ahead of schedules

* How to lead your life, not just manage your time

Offering a principle-centered approach and the wisdom and insight that made The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People a #1 bestseller, First Things First empowers listeners to define what is truly important; to accomplish worthwhile goals; and to lead rich, rewarding, and balanced lives.

About this title

Review

What are the most important things in your life? Do they get as much care, emphasis, and time as you'd like to give them? Far from the traditional "be-more-efficient" time-management book with shortcut techniques, First Things First shows you how to look at your use of time totally differently. Using this book will help you create balance between your personal and professional responsibilities by putting first things first and acting on them. Covey teaches an organizing process that helps you categorize tasks so you focus on what is important, not merely what is urgent. First you divide tasks into these quadrants:

1. Important and Urgent (crises, deadline-driven projects)
2. Important, Not Urgent (preparation, prevention, planning, relationships)
3. Urgent, Not Important (interruptions, many pressing matters)
4. Not Urgent, Not Important (trivia, time wasters)

Most people spend most of their time in quadrants 1 and 3, while quadrant 2 is where quality happens. "Doing more things faster is no substitute for doing the right things," says Covey. He points you toward the real human needs--"to live, to love, to learn, to leave a legacy"--and how to balance your time to achieve a meaningful life, not just get things done. --Joan Price

About the Author

Dr. Stephen R. Covey is an internationally respected leadership authority, teacher, author, organizational consultant, and co-founder and vice chairman of Franklin Covey Co. He is author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, which Chief Executive magazine has called the most influential business book of the last 100 years. The book has sold nearly 20 million copies, and after 20 years, still holds a place on most best-seller lists. Dr. Covey earned an MBA from Harvard and a doctorate from BYU, where he was a professor of organizational behavior. For more than 40 years, he has taught millions of people — including leaders of nations and corporations — the transforming power of the principles that govern individual and organizational effectiveness. He and his wife live in the Rocky Mountains of Utah.

A. Roger and Rebecca R. Merrill are coauthors of the bestselling First Things First. They enjoy writing and teaching together. In addition, Roger was a cofounder of the covey Leadership Center. He is involved in the development of personal effectiveness software and consults and teaches in the field of leadership worldwide.

Roger and Rebecca R. Merrill are coauthors of the bestselling First Things First. They enjoy writing and teaching together. In addition, Roger was a cofounder of the Covey Leadership Center. He is involved in the development of personal effectiveness software and consults and teaches in the field of leadership worldwide.

Edition details

• Publisher: Pocket Books
• Publication date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0743468597
• ISBN 13: 9780743468596
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 368