Before You Open Email Tomorrow, Read This

TL/DR

• Your “time problem” might actually be a “sand problem”.

• The “Big Rocks” framework helps identify and make room for your top priorities

• When you plan this way, your time will your values and goals.

• Use this framework to move from reactive mode to proactive mode.

The Whole Shebang:

“I don’t have any time for strategic thinking!”

“The urgent is always crowding out the important!”

“I’m drowning in so many emails, I don’t have time for my real work.”

If you’ve ever heard yourself saying something similar, well, you might have a “sand problem".

What, pray tell, is a “sand problem”?

Well, I’m so glad you asked.

Because when I was leading a workshop for one of my clients a few weeks back, this concept resonated deeply with the audience.

So, I thought I’d share it with you, too.

But first, let’s take a step back and set the stage.

Because in order to understand what a “sand problem” is, you need to be introduced to the “big rocks” parable (which I think was first developed by Steven Covey).

So, here goes:

Imagine that your, life, your week, or even a single day, is represented by a glass jar. That’s your total time available.

And, you’ll fill your jar with some big rocks, some pebbles and some sand. These represent your priorities, and how you’ll spend your time.

What are the types of things that fall into each category?

• Big rocks are your top priorities.

Things like completing that big project you’re working on that, if you pull it off, will put you in line for a promotion. Or prioritizing your health (sleep, exercise, nutrition). Or spending quality time with your family.

• Pebbles are your medium priorities.

Things like planning for the next day, or week, so that you can be proactive rather than reactive. Or sending out that client proposal that you promised would land in their inbox on Thursday. Or home-life upkeep like laundry and dishes so you can live in a space of calm

• Sand is all the little stuff

Things like responding to email and slack. Or small quick, yet never-ending tasks (the “lemme-justs”). Or reading the endless emails your kids’ school sends you. (Oh wait, is that just me??)

Are you with me? So far, so good?

Now, do you think the order in which you fill the jar makes a difference?

Yep, you bet it does!

Imagine you start by pouring in the sand.

All of a sudden, there’s no room for anything else. No pebbles, no rocks, nada.

And I bet you’ve experienced a day like this, where you start the day by opening your inbox, and all of a sudden it’s 6 pm, you’ve been working all day, and somehow nothing is crossed of your to do list and you know you’ll be taking that big project home to work on after dinner because it’s due tomorrow.

Now, what about it you start with the pebbles?

This is better! Once you’ve filled up the jar with pebbles, you can still pour in sand, and it’ll start filling the gap around the pebbles.

Now, you were able to get a bunch of medium priority stuff done and, somehow, you plowed through your inbox too.

But, still no room for the big rocks.

So, what’s the right order of operations?

But, if you start with the big rocks?

Now we’re talking! Once the big rocks are in, then add the pebbles; they’ll find their way around the rocks. And finally, add the sand, which will fill the remaining gaps.

Now, all of sudden, you’re spending your time in a way that actually reflects your goals and your values.

You’re making progress on the big stuff.

And you’re no longer spending all day in reactive mode, wondering how you can be working so hard and getting so little done.

That “sand problem” is where your jar holds nothing but sand and no matter how hard you try you can’t shove the big rocks or even the pebbles into the jar without breaking it.

So, how do you fix your sand problem?

Here are 4 practical, tactical ways to get started:

1. Plan in advance

   Spend a little time today planning for tomorrow, making sure that you’ve identified the big rocks, and have a realistic plan to fit them into your day.

   And at the end of the week, do a little planning for the next week with the same goal in mind.

   Be ruthlessly realistic.

2. Define weekly goals or priorities

   What do you want to accomplish this week, come hell or high water? And don’t you dare list out 25 things. What are the 2-5 things that will really put you in a great position if you complete them this week.

   These are your big rocks for the week; plan for them and plan around them.

   Keep them front and center so you don’t get sucked into quicksand.

3. Delay email/Slack

   Instead of starting out your day in your inboxes, if you can, delay checking email and Slack for an hour or two in the morning, and use that time to work on the big rocks.

   People will not notice whether you responded to their email at 9am or 10am. But the amount of progress you can make during that window, before you’ve opened up all those loops, will be shocking to you.

4. Block time for big rocks for earlier in the workday/workweek

   The longer the day or week goes on, the less able you are to resist making exceptions to your plans. The urge to say yes to one more meeting that “really has to happen this week” is just too strong.

   So, plan to work on your big rocks earlier in the day, and earlier in the week, so that you’ll be less likely to let the “urgent” sand take over.

And yes, I just gave a bunch of work related examples, but this works for your personal life too.

My “big rocks” in my personal life are spending time with family, spending time at the pottery studio, cooking dinner (I love cooking, and my family needs to be fed) and health (exercise, sleep, doctors’ appointments).

And, when I plan out my week, time is blocked for all of these. The pebbles and sand can fill the rest.

What are your big rocks?

When you’re ready, here are 3 ways we can work together:

1. Enroll in the Time Well Spent course

   Bite-sized, shame-free steps to take control of your time, and your life. Built for real people with big lives, big jobs, or both. Learn more, or enroll here.

2. Get 1:1 Coaching

   High-touch coaching experience for people managers, leaders, executives and founders who need a trusted partner to streamline priorities, manage the overwhelm, and focus on what moves the needle most. Schedule a call to explore if this is the right fit for you.

3. Explore Team Workshops/Training

   Customized workshops and trainings to help your team improve productivity without burnout and create a culture where people (actually) thrive. Schedule a call to explore if this is the right fit for you.