The Difference between Urgent and Important

In Stephen Covey’s book “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” Stephen talks about the difference between Urgent and Important matters, and how dividing our time between these two types of activities or tasks can make us more effective or less effective.
It’s amazing how something that comes up can urgently demands our attention almost always seems to appear important. But is it really? Understanding how to distinguish the two as separate has really been an eye-opening experience for me and has helped me prioritize how I spend my time each day.
Urgent matters demand our immediate attention; we react to them urgently, drop everything now to deal with this matter. It could be something as simple as answering the phone when it ring while we are in the middle of working on and article that requires our focus and concentration.
If you have friends like me I’m sure you have one who’s permanently and constantly in crisis mode, constantly putting out fires, busy, busy, busy running around from one crisis to another. Now, have you noticed, that this person is frequently stuck somewhere falling short of their goals because they never have the time to get to the things they say really matter to them?
Now don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that urgent matters are always not important. A true crisis must be given the attention it requires. But a task—something like checking and replying to emails every time one comes in to your inbox-must must wait so you can work on the actual important issues that will get you closer to your goals
Important activities or task are those that help us get closer to the goals we have set for ourselves. Important activities or tasks frequently are things we must do on our own initiative, without some kind outside condition creating a sense of importance. Important things or issues come in all sizes, but usually require planning and great effort, sometimes simply to prevent situations from becoming urgent. For example, taking care of your own finances now is important because it could help you avoid a future consumed by debit brought on my years of careless over spending. (I keep a monthly budget and I regularly track and update my monthly budget since having this epiphany!)
By ignoring these important Activities or tasks early in the day or early in life, they always have a way of escalating into urgent issues.
If you’ve read this far it’s probably become apparent that one thing that’s extremely important is to separate important activities or tasks from the urgent ones and to assign them the appropriate time to deal with them. Once you’ve decided that something is important, it is your responsibility to assign a sense of urgency to it and make sure you get it done. If you’re an entrepreneur like I am, think about all the aspects of your business that are urgent as opposed to important. Consider doing what is did by delegating urgent tasks an assistant. My effectiveness dramatically increased 100 folds because I start spending by far the greatest percentage of my time attending to the important activities or task that did two things, increase profit and grow my business. If you take care of the important activities or task you’ll keep them from becoming urgent and reduce the amount of time dedicated to crisis management in your business and personal life.As a close friend once said to me, time for mortals is finite. In fact, we never really know when we’ll run out of it. To make matters more complicated, there turns out to be truth in the old saying that you never have enough time to do everything you’d like to do. So you really must decide what is important to you, and then take care of business!

Who is Dario Lorenzo

Dario Lorenzo
Streamline Marketing System
Vancouver BC V6Z 3B8
604 688 2521
http://www.streamlinemarketingsystem.com/

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How to Invest in Today's Market

While depressed stock prices present lots of opportunity, your long-term investing strategy shouldn't change with the times.

By Walter Updegrave, Money Magazine senior editor
June 4, 2009: 6:09 AM ET
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NEW YORK (Money) -- Question: I believe that along with a recession comes a great opportunity to invest and make significant long-term gains. I'm under 30, I contribute to my 401(k) plan and I'm willing to take risks. What are my best options in today's market? --Lyle, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Answer: Hey, I'm with you. Although they can be painful, recessions not only wring a lot of the excesses out of the economy and markets, they also set the stage for people who invest in stocks that have been pummeled to potentially earn some impressive gains.

For example, if you had invested in stocks in December, 1974, which was the trough of the severe 1973-1975 recession, you would have earned a 37% return over the next year, a 16% annualized gain over three years and 15% annualized for the five years ending in December, 1979. That's a huge increase over stocks' compound annual return of roughly 10% since the mid-1920s.

That said, I'm not a big believer in trying to exploit the economy's recovery for even bigger gains by targeting your investing toward specific industries, sectors or other niches.

If you're really interested in building a nest egg over the course of your career that will sustain you in retirement, I think the best course is to adhere pretty much to the same investing strategy today that you would (or should) employ at any other time -- that is, maintain a broadly diversified blend of different types of stocks or stock funds, and throw in some bonds or bond funds for stability.

I realize that this puts me at odds with much of the investing world -- both financial firms and the investment "punditocracy" that espouses its views in articles, blogs and cable TV appearances. Much of what you hear or read nowadays consists of people trying to predict what sorts of stocks or funds might deliver outsize gains as we emerge from recession.

Indeed, recent research from Wasatch Funds makes the case that small-cap stocks are the place to be when the economy is coming out of recession. The report notes that small-caps have outperformed large-caps by almost a two-to-one margin (34% vs. 18%) in the year following the last nine recessions.

And a new study by Russell Investments says that value stocks typically beat growth shares in the early periods of an economic expansion, and that this tendency is strongest in small-caps.

I have no reason to doubt the information in either report. But having read them, I'm not going to run out and load up on small company stocks, value shares or, in an attempt to get the best of both worlds, small-company value stocks.

Why? Well, it's easy when you're looking backward to know when you should have gotten into small-caps or any other sector. After all, with the benefit of hindsight you know exactly when past recessions ended. But we don't know when this recession will end (or, for that matter, whether it already has). So when, exactly, do you move into small caps? Now? A month from now? Two months? Get in too early -- or too late -- and the extra gains might be smaller or might not materialize at all.

Besides, it's not as if all economic and market cycles play out exactly the same. In fact, the Russell report notes that the 2001 recession was an anomaly compared to the other three it examined, and thus resulted in a very different pattern of small-cap growth vs. value returns.

Given the stock market's strong rebound (so far at least) from its March lows, it's understandable that many people are beginning to regain a bit of confidence about investing in stocks. In general, that's a good thing.

But let's not get overly exuberant here. If anything, the events of the past year or so have shown that we're not exactly savants when it comes to predicting short-term investment performance.

So while I'm still confident in stocks' ability to deliver robust gains over the long-term -- especially when you buy them at depressed levels in the wake of a crash -- I'm not inclined to make big bets that a particular sector of the market will outperform another over a relatively short period of time. I'm just not convinced that investors -- pros or regular Joes -- are prescient enough to make such calls and nimble enough to get in and out at the right time.

Bottom line: If you want to capitalize on this recession to boost the eventual value of your 401(k), contribute as much as you can and maintain a diversified mix of stocks and bonds that's appropriate for your age and risk tolerance.

Given your age, that will probably mean investing between 80% and 90% of your 401(k)'s assets in stocks. Believe me, that's plenty enough risk. You don't need to compound it by engaging in a guessing game about which segment of the market might deliver the biggest gains in the next year or two.

Want a Money Makeover? E-mail us at makeover@moneymail.com.


Who is Dario Lorenzo http://www.squidoo.com/dario-lorenzo


Dario Lorenzo
Streamline Marketing System
Vancouver BC V6Z 3B8
604 688 2521
www.streamlinemarketingsystem.com
http://www.myspace.com/473417936

Why "Carbon Copy Pro Requires an Application

Jeff Learner is my coach and mentor and he will explain why you need to go through the Application Process.

To complete your Application click here.

We simply can't work with everyone. Remember, for things to change for you, YOU have to change. And you'll have to do so ASAP. Jeff and I help you. No worries. Jeff has helped and coached many already...and the numbers are growing daily...It's your turn.

Remember, included with your Application Kit is the breakthrough "Inside Out" DVD (a $149 stand alone value). This was filmed to show you the "insider secrets" to making a five-figure monthly income ($10k or more per month) from home in the 21st Century by industry legends Jay Kubassek and Mike Dillard "Inside Out" Preview .

To complete your Application click here.

Remember your application fee is 100% refundable and you still get to keep the DVD and work book.

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Who is Dario Lorenzo

P.S. If you're ready for a business with 80% profit margins,no employees, no inventory, no overhead, and a proven marketing system then apply right now to join my exclusive marketing team at Streamline Marketing System.

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Discovering how working from home will give you freedom

The future of the workplace is certainly changing. There are a lot of new rules that are changing where and when we work.
Social media sites like twitter, facebook and MySpace are changing the way we interact in life with our friends and business. Searching for “the conversation” on twitter, and with tools like google trends, are transforming the old rules of marketing.
There seems to be a new trend in the way people and businesses are work. I see more and more people discovering passive income and how pointless it is to trade time for money. Then again, it makes much more sense to evaluate the difference of value by way of results. For a few years now Best Buy has been transforming the work place with it’s “results-only work environment.”
More companies and managers are discovering it doesn’t make much sense to pay and employee for their presence. The value the employee provides is the real measurement of worth and this employee does not need to be in a cubicle in an office.
Whether it’s through self-employment or being employed there are a many benefits to cutting ties with at work cubicle nation.
Work anywhere. This is the most obvious one. If you’re liberated from your “assigned station,” you’re free to work anywhere with WiFi. Some of the managers at Best Buy often work in the middle of a fishing trip or from a secluded cabin the middle of a ski resort. It’s not that their work is cutting into their personal time, it’s giving employees the ability to take these trips and choose where they work.
Complete control of the design of your workspace. While I’ve never worked anywhere that rules about the Do’s and Don’ts for cubicle or office decor, I know there are some unspoken and understood rules. If wanted a giant exotic car poster with a sexy blond in a bikini, that probably wouldn’t be acceptable. If you wanted to work in your underwear or listen to Howard Stern, that probably wouldn’t be allowed either. If you work from home, anything goes. It’s not like the absence of beige or fluorescent lighting will make you sad. (If it does, I recommend you seek help form a mental health professional.)
Less distractions. This might sound kind of odd, because when you first think about it, you might think there would be more distractions at home, not less. But once you start working form home the opposite is true, at least for me. No more co-worker drivebys, impromptu meetings, and annoying cubicle mates who like to yell to everyone from across the office are constant distractions and interruptions. At home you might have temptations to watch TV, but at least you have control total control over these distractions.
Flexible time. You decide when you start and finish work. You decide when its play time. You’re liberated from the clock and you set your schedule. You may have certain projects, meeting or deadlines you must attend to, but you have total flexibility as to when you work on them.
More focus on results, not presence. When you’re focused on results, you have a tendency to care more about quality of your work. When you’re focused on presence, you have a tendency to resent the work you’re doing. You’re focused on being there but not on what you’re doing. More energy is spent thinking about when your next break, or lunch is, or when you get to go home.
6. Time with loves ones. This is the number one reason why people start a business. Whatever day it is it's the only day you'll ever get to spend with them. So spend this day close to the people you love!
Workout at your desk. How many times have you wanted to take a break and go for a quick workout but you are not able because your gym is a 15 minute drive or more form work? I can’t count how many times I’ve wanted to take a break and workout during work. Since I work from home I just do push-ups, sit-ups, or whatever. You can easily solve this problem by Working from home?
8. No Commute. Actually, you might have a commute - from your bedroom to your home office (which may even be in your bedroom!). The average working person wastes just about 10% of their week getting to and from work. What could you do with that extra time? Spend time with your kids, make a life long dream come true, exercise, learn a new language….what would you do?
Choose your own hours. Work at a time that makes sense to you and there is actually work that has to be done, not just because of what a boss says. Imagine a work environment where you can go to work, knock out your day’s workload, and leave once you are done! How many hours do you spend at your job trying to look busy? Deliberately dragging out projects so you won't get bored in the downtime and your boss thinks you are working hard? What a ridiculous way to live but try telling your boss that you are finished with all your work load so you'd like to take a half day off to go to the beach...What would happen if you did this every day?

My goal is to simply highlight the options that often go unnoticed or untapped. I think the best solution is to find a balance between your work life and your personal life while becoming as efficient and productive as one can.

I recommend you real The Four Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss

Working from home is not for everyone and there are pitfalls to being self employed and telecommuting. Creating barriers between work-time and personal-time, and a lack of social interaction, are a couple that come to mind.

I work from home and I love it. I am only presenting you with options. I would say that where we often think there are no options we later find the existence of tremendous field of possibilities, if we have the courage to challenge our beliefs.

Where we often only see walls, there are no walls at all. They are simply opportunities for us to grow.
As to how to convince your boss to let you work from home, just ask to do a trial of one day a week for four weeks to see how it goes. If your productivity improves on those days, it will be leverage for you and an incentive to your boss to continue your experiment. You may have to show up some days for mandatory meetings or for a need to be in the office, but working from home one or two days a week can make a big difference.

For more information go to http://www.streamlinemarketingsystem.com/


Dario Lorenzo
Streamline Marketing System
Vancouver BC V6Z 3B8
604 688 2521
http://www.streamlinemarketingsystem.com/
http://www.myspace.com/473417936
http://www.facebook.com/business/dashboard/?ref=sb#/pages/Streamline-Marketing-System/95158043456
http://twitter.com/dariolorenzo
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