Big Rocks First. #threethings

My three things

One week in, I'm already loving the concept of three things. On my wall I have posted the three things I want to accomplish to feel good about my day. Here are my three things for each day:

1. Prioritize three things to complete and do them in 45 minute chunks of time.
2. Show appreciation in writing.
3. Take 10 minutes each day to eat lunch and have a quiet moment.

This week, I felt super successful at accomplishing my three goals, and every day I write a messy little sticky note with the three things I'm allocating 45 minutes to that day. Most days, I've completed my list. Last Thursday, I entered my office at 4:15 after a training and only had one thing on my list completed. Since no one was at home waiting for me, I decided to stay and get the remaining two things on my list done. At 5:38, I walked out the door with my three things completed. It felt so good! And my to-do list for the next day was already written.

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I'm the first to admit that I need time to process and think about new ideas. Jen Duston had shared the concept of three big rocks, and I needed to hear that again before it sunk in. In our Voxer group, she explained that if you put the big things first, you'll have more time for all of the little things. She calls her three things her three "big rocks" for the day, and she shared that it came from Stephen Covey's 7 Habits. I watched a few videos on the topic and realized something important. 

I was working hard. Doing a lot. But I was choosing to do little things first. My little things weren't necessarily trivial or unimportant, but they were the things I knew I could do in a day. But the result of focusing on just the little things? My big things, the things that needed more focused time weren't getting done and were piling up. Bell schedules. Furniture orders and spreadsheets. And I was feeling overwhelmed by all of the big things that I wasn't finishing. I needed to put my big things, my big rocks, first. Last week, I finally checked some big things off of my list. And I found I still had time for the little things! Even better, I rewarded myself for finishing my list early by filling my time with awesome things like getting into classrooms with teachers and kids. 

Little by little, I'm getting the hang of this balance thing.

Here are a few Big Rocks videos I found that you might like. Thanks for the inspiration, Jen!