Deciding priorities

Put In The Big Rocks First

The Author Steven Covey is one of my heroes.

In the book “First Things First” he describes a story that one of his associates experienced on a seminar. In the middle of the lecture the presenter pulled out a wide-mouth jar and placed it on the table, aside to some fist-sized rocks.
After filling the jar to the top with rocks he asked, “Is the jar full?” People could see that no more rocks would fit, so they replied, “Yes!”
“Not so fast,” he cautioned. He then got some gravel from under the table and added it to the jar, filling the spaces between the rocks. Again, he asked, “Is the jar full?” This time the students replied “Probably not.” The presenter then reached a bucket of sand below the table, and dumped it on the jar, filling the spaces between the rocks and the gravel. Once again he asked “Is the jar full?” “No!”, the students shouted. Finally, he grabbed a pitcher of water and filled the jar completely, asking to the public what they could learn from that illustration.
One of the participants answered, “If you work at it, you can always fit more into your life.” “No,” said the presenter. “The point is, if you don’t put the big rocks in first. . . would you ever have gotten any of them in?”
This is a perfect lesson on priorities.Some of us need a real life illustration like that to keep on track. I for one am grateful for it. My big rock today? Paying the bills. What is your big rock?

Preparing for summer with Paige Hemmis of ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"

Begin with a complete walk-through of the inside of the home. Winter's damaging effects are not limited to the outside. Next, follow these steps to prevent future damage:

"1. Organize. Store all cold weather items - not thrown in the garage or a closet - take this time to install shelves and organize.
2. Check all smoke detectors. Put a new battery in each detector, even if it appears to be working fine. The small investment in a new 9-volt battery is a small price to pay for safety. Replace them every six months - an easy way to remember is to change them once for summer and once for winter.
3. Check to make sure fire extinguishers are in good condition. Keep them in easy-to-grab places, but out-of-reach from children.
4. Check your clothes dryer. Clean the exit vents and clean behind them. This is a common place for fires to start.
5. Check your washing machine hoses for cracks or bubbles. This is the most common cause of flooding in the home.
6. Take a look at all outlets, appliances, cords, etc. for damage and replace if necessary.
7. Check all Air Conditioning vents & screens in the house. These will soon have a lot of air blowing through them and this small step will prevent dust and debris from blowing around the house. "

Paige Hemmis, The Tuff Chix Guide to Easy Home Improvement