Urgent versus important – how do we know?

We know there are elements of our business life that are important, but it’s not until they fall over and crash that we realise they are essential to survival. MARCIA GRIFFIN

By Marcia Griffin

Over the last few weeks I have been passing on ideas from some excellent presenters I have had the privilege of hearing. This week I want to pass on some ideas about how not to have a week. Case in point for me; last week.

We all have those weeks where everything that could go wrong seems to. My last week was one of those, in among a number of serious decisions and being too busy rather than business-like, I let a few things go – to my great disadvantage.

Urgent vs important – how easy is it to get caught up in that bind!

With a portfolio of fantastic activities (which I know all of us commit to) I overlooked a number of really important things, one of which was some basic maintenance!

I should know so much better, as in my role as a business mentor I often hear about the things that CEOs let go, because they are too busy. So how could I have done that?

I am afraid rather too easily – as my computer and car play a very important role in my business life, it just seems too ridiculous not to maintain them in perfect order.

Both crashed on me last week – the car was an easy if inconvenient fix, but the computer was far more serious.

You see I had done something as careless as not updating my anti-virus protection – as someone said to me, think of your anti-virus as a cyber-condom; that might make you take it very seriously!

My computer showed signs of strain some days before this last week, but I had chosen to put off fixing the problem. The usual excuses – too busy etc etc – until I finally scanned my computer to find it had a number of viruses, and panic set in!

Amazing how one’s priorities change in a potential crisis… straight to a store with some technical back up. The computer was scanned and cleaned, but now I had to re-set all programs etc etc. And as is always the case in life and business, one often needs an expert to resolve an issue.

And so I was finally forced to take my own advice (thank heavens for Brad at BMP Projects), and at 7pm on Saturday night my laptop was picked up and delivered back to me at 9am Sunday morning, all systems restored. Incredible service. I now feel so much happier that I have the back up of Brad to ensure that my most valuable business tool, my computer, is maintained and protected.

Lessons for me are; don’t put off things like car and computer maintenance, and don’t make excuses for not doing the things that are really important. Similarly, don’t put off the appointment to the doctor, the colonoscopy you never have time to have, or any other critical maintenance relating to your health and wellbeing.

My biggest lesson among many last week was that there is no doubt you get what you avoid, so have on hand expert assistance for those things that really matter!

To read more Marcia Griffin blogs, click here.

High Heeled Success is Marcia Griffin’s latest book, and is a frank account of building a business from a solitary sales person to a multi-million dollar business with 4700 sales consultants around Australia and New Zealand. It recounts successes and failures along the way and was written to inspire entrepreneurs-particularly women to triumph in business.

High Heeled Success (Kerr Publishing) is available directly from Marcia (marcia_Griffin@msn.com.au) or Domain Books www.domainbooks.biz.