Accueil > BLAGUES-L > Archives 1999 >


Date: Mon, 20 Dec 1999 12:31:32 -0500 (EST)
From: Gris Culture
Subject: BLAGUES-L: Time Management



Date: Wed, 07 Apr 1999 11:34:51 -0400
From: "Sugar & Spice & Everything Nice"
From: EWolfson
From: Richard Ladisky


TIME MANAGEMENT EXPERT

     One day an expert in time management was speaking to a group of
business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration those
students will never forget. 

     As he stood in front of the group of high powered overachievers he
said, "Okay, time for a quiz."  Then he pulled out a one-gallon, wide
mouth mason jar and set it on the table in front of him.  Then he produced
about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time,
into the jar.  When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would
fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?" 

     Everyone in the class said, "Yes." Then he said, "Really?" He reached
under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some
gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves
down into the space between the big rocks. Then he asked the group once
more, "Is the jar full?" By this time the class was on to him. "Probably
not," one of them answered. 

     "Good!" he replied.  He reached under the table and brought out a
bucket of sand.  He started dumping the sand in the jar and it went into
all of the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel.  Once more he
asked the question, "Is this jar full?" "No!" the class shouted. 

     Once again he said, "Good."  Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and
began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked
at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?" 

     One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter
how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some
more things in it!" 

     "No," the speaker replied, "that's not the point.  The truth this
illustration teaches us is:  If you don't put the big rocks in first,
you'll never get them in at all." 

     What are the 'big rocks' in your life? Time with your loved ones?
Your faith, your education, your dreams? A worthy cause?  Teaching or
mentoring others?  Remem-ber to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you'll
never get them in at all. 

     So, tonight, or in the morning, when you are reflecting on this short
story, ask yourself this question: 

     What are the 'big rocks' in my life? Then, put those in your jar
first.



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