From my list of 37 Time Management Tips, which you receive automatically when you sign up for my newsletter (http://www.mclarencoaching.com/contact-us/newsletter-sign-up/), is this: The Pareto Principle:

The principle, which has been applied in many areas is, 80% of the results you generate in your day toward your ultimate goal comes from 20% of your effort.

The value of the Pareto Principle from a time management perspective is that it reminds you to focus on the 20 percent that matters. Of the things you do during your day, only 20 percent really matter to the achievement of your main goals. Those 20 percent produce 80 percent of your results. Identify and focus on those things. When the fire drills of the day begin to sap your time, remind yourself of the 20 percent you need to focus on. If something in the schedule has to slip, if something isn’t going to get done, make sure it’s not part of that 20 percent.

The 20% is what is often referred to as the “big rocks” – those things you do in your day that have the biggest impact. Smaller rocks are the 80% busy work, distractions, and other people’s urgencies that you get sucked into without consciously deciding. You do them and they keep you busy, but they don’t make a big difference at the end of the day.

As with any time management strategy, the goal is to make your decisions consciously. Pareto’s Principle will help you apply a conscious standard to your day so you can ask with regard to everything you do, “is this moving me toward my goals for today?” (Which means you need to HAVE goals for your day, which is another blog post entirely.)

80/20