Two tickets to paradise

Trying to figure out your priorities? Sometimes they're hard to decipher, especially when everything appears to be a priority. Fact is, the classic 80/20 rule applies to what we accomplish on a daily basis. That is, 80% of what we do leads to only 20% of actual results. So we have to be especially careful about how we spend the last 20%... doing those things that really matter. But what are those things?

What if on Monday morning your boss came into your office with two first-class tickets to the Caribbean along with a full week at a beautiful resort? He won the tickets but can't use them and is willing to give them to you IF - and only IF - you can accomplish the most important things you need to get done for the week today (before you leave on tomorrow's early morning flight). That is, you have one day to focus on the priorities you usually have five days to achieve. Can you do it? Of course! No one I know would turn this down.

OK, with only 20% of your time available, and a trip to paradise in the balance... What are you going to focus on? The priorities: those things that matter to the bottom line, to the company's goals and to your organization's success. Ask yourself these questions to help you determine the answer:

• Why am I on the payroll?
• What is my major goal or objective right now?
• What can I do that will make a real difference?
• What is the most valuable use of my time?

Make that 20% count. And enjoy your trip to paradise!