Time Management

Isn't it amazing that some people can produce huge results in the same 24 hours that we all have? Whether or not we realize it, we victimize ourselves by not appropriately deciding what to do with our time. Instead, we let our time decide what to do with us!

Time is a commodity, and no matter who we are, we experience many demands on this precious commodity. The most critical step ? once a course of action is decided ? is to create a to-do list. Too often, people stop at this point and don't recognize the next, critical step. In his bestseller How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life, Alan Lakein says it is imperative to finish the list by setting priorities; the list isn't complete until priorities have been established.

One of the important reasons for the prioritized list ? other than sanity of course ? has to do with a neat maxim called the Pareto Principle. Essentially, the Pareto Principal states that roughly 80% of all generated results come from approximately 20% of generative activities. This is valid in both macro and micro environments: most religious leaders say that 80% of their tithes come from 20% of church attendees; many sales managers realize that 80% of their sales come from the top 20% of their salesmen. In business or life in general, 80% of the results achieved are generated by 20% of the activities. Whatever When we examine our to-do lists, we should prioritize our list beginning with the the top 20% activities.

Top time management trainers and writers recommend the ABC system of prioritizing. Thus, A activities are Vital ? activities that must be carried out at all costs. These are the "top 20%" activities. Very often, these are items that are least easy to do because they are not apparently urgent! B items are Important. While these are often more urgent than the A activities, they are, in reality not of vital importance. Finally, C activities are Trivial and may represent 80% of all the things which we find ourselves doing. In an odd inversion or proportion, A activities are more vital, while C activities are more urgent. People that are ineffective with their time end up spending a lot of time on C activities. In the whole scope of activities and accomplishments, the A activities are valuable, rewarding and help one move toward established goals. C activities have the great effect of making one weary. Don't confuse activity with accomplishment! Franklin Time Management Founder, Hyrum Smith, states that "urgencies act on priorities but they are not priorities." To create large results and progress in life, and business, focus on priorities.

We must closely examine our top 20% activities. What activities must we engage in to create the desired results? Now, let's figure out how we can spend 80% of our time on those activities. This powerful discipline has been mastered by people who are producing powerful results in their lives and businesses. We too can learn to master it and master our lives!

Eric Johnson is a regular contributor to the Investor's Value View newsletter. To learn how to send comments to Mr. Johnson or to subscribe to the Investor's Value View newsletter, visit http://www.valueview.net

recurring cleaning service Highland Park ...

In The News:

Homeowners association meeting minutes and membership lists can expose names, addresses and emails that scammers use to craft convincing phishing scams.

Lima, Ohio, has installed 3,120 floating solar panels on its Twin Lakes Reservoir, projecting nearly $10 million in electricity cost savings.

Amazon's Alexa for Shopping now lets customers verify suspicious emails, texts and phone calls against the company's own communication records.

Lindsey Brooke Isaacs spent 13 days in jail after a Flock camera flagged her Dodge Durango near a fatal Florida crash that killed three people.

AI-powered smart grocery carts are linked to 32% higher spending, according to new research, as Instacart Caper Carts expand across U.S. stores.

A VPN encrypts your connection on hotel, airport and café Wi-Fi abroad, but streaming catalogs and live sports access still depend on provider rules.

Gmail's Verified Sender Program launches September 8, 2026, giving U.S. political committees a more reliable path to your personal email inbox.

Elroy Air's Chaparral can carry over 500 pounds and fly 450 miles without a runway, and the FAA just tested it under a new federal program.

Bedrock Robotics says its autonomous excavators are doing paid earthwork on active job sites in Texas and Nevada with no operator in the cab.

A dedicated banking computer isolates your financial accounts from malware and phishing, but passwords, SIM swapping and outdated software remain risks.

The OlloNi SS1 AI robot pet uses a 4K camera and facial recognition to learn your family, but its removable Red Heart memory module raises questions.

Nine identity theft warning signs range from unfamiliar credit inquiries to SIM swap attacks that can quietly drain your bank account funds.

Robot.com's R-dog uses articulated legs and wheels to climb stairs and deliver packages, while its built-in screens display paid ads along the route.

MyChart phishing emails mimic real patient portal alerts with fake lab results and malware tricks that target Windows users across the country.

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Google's Motion Assist places animated dots on Pixel screens to combat motion sickness in vehicles, but the Android 17 rollout remains limited.

Moving to a 55+ community can quickly expose your data to scammers and data brokers before you even unpack, putting your whole family at risk.

Amazon Prime Air drone delivery plans to reach nearly 500 U.S. cities by the end of 2026, but your yard and ZIP code may determine eligibility.

The FBI reports nearly $21 billion in cybercrime losses for 2025, up 26%, as AI scams make fake voices and identities more convincing than ever.

Uber teen accounts now feature live video streaming from the driver's camera, but encrypted recordings stay on Uber's servers for up to 14 days.

Router firewalls and software firewalls serve different roles in protecting your home Wi-Fi from unwanted traffic and suspicious connections.

A Chrome extension with 70,000 users and a 4.7-star rating began injecting fake update warnings after a threat actor acquired and weaponized it.

Amazon's Alexa+ rolls out free to Fire TV devices across the U.S., but hands-free microphones and stored voice data raise key privacy questions.

Meta's new teen accounts settlement sets a default two-hour daily limit on Instagram and Facebook, plus night mode and school mode restrictions.

The CareCloud data breach exposed Social Security numbers, banking information and medical records belonging to more than 3.75 million people.