The Urgent And The Important

The Urgent And The Important

Application Assignment 2 is: "The Urgent and the Important." Preparation: Read Covey’s Habit 3 “Put First Things First” and Habit 7 “Sharpening the Saw.” Finally, watch the video “Weekly Planning - A Video from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” Moving toward fourth generation time management includes planning on a weekly (rather than daily) basis and includes roles, goals, priorities, and sharpening the saw.

This week's four-part assignment is designed with this in mind: Using the Time Management Matrix on p. 160 (p. 151 in the 1989 edition) of the Covey text as a guide, record your activities this week (Module 2) by placing them in the appropriate quadrant. Use words or short phrases. Suggestion: Start recording early in the week so you will have less remembering to do later in the week.

Write a paragraph in which you reflect on your completed Time Management Matrix. Did anything surprise you about how much time you are spending in certain quadrants? Did you list any activities in your Time Management Matrix that could have been delegated to someone else? Review your mission statement (revise, if necessary), roles, and goals. Think about what your top priorities are for next week (Module 3).

As Covey says, "The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule but to schedule your priorities." With this in mind, plan the next week (Module 3) using the “Weekly Schedule” portion of the attached outline or use the attached Word doc or PDF. List the roles you identified in Application Assignment 1. Then list at least one goal for the week for each role in the appropriate column. Remember to schedule sharpening the saw activities. Numbering the goals might help.

Then schedule each goal either in the “Today’s Priorities” section or in the “Appointment/Commitment” section as appropriate. See pp. (pp. in the 1989 edition) in the Covey text for an example of how a completed weekly schedule might look. Write a paragraph in which you reflect on your completed Weekly Schedule. What was it like to plan the upcoming week with roles, goals, priorities, and sharpening the saw in mind? Are there any activities in the Weekly Schedule that you created for Module 3 that could be delegated to someone else? Why or why not?

In all of the application assignments you will complete this semester, be thoughtful and think critically. Strive to hit the higher levels of Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives (application, analysis, evaluation, and creativity or synthesis). In addition, be mindful of writing conventions. Submit Application Assignment 2 using the link provided by 11:45 p.m. on Sunday of Module 2.

You may use the attached “Application Assignment 2 Outline” Word document to organize your submission. Alternatively, you may submit two documents—one answering parts 1, 2, and 4, and a separate weekly schedule (part 3).

Paper For Above instruction

This assignment emphasizes the importance of effective time management by engaging students in a reflective and strategic planning process aligned with Stephen Covey’s principles from "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People." It commences with an analysis of weekly activities through the Time Management Matrix, prompting students to categorize their tasks into quadrants based on urgency and importance, thereby fostering awareness of their time distribution and identifying potential areas for delegation and reallocation.

The first step involves students recording their weekly activities, using short phrases to categorize each task into the four quadrants of Covey’s matrix. This practice aims to illuminate how much time is allocated to urgent versus important tasks and reveal possible misalignments with personal mission statements, roles, and overarching goals. Following this, students reflect on their distribution of activities, noting surprises, inefficiencies, or tasks that could be delegated to others. This reflection encourages critical thinking about their current time management habits and supports capacity building for more effective planning.

The core of the assignment centers on translating insights into action by planning the upcoming week with a focus on prioritized roles and goals. Students are guided to list their specific roles (derived from previous assignments), set at least one meaningful goal per role, and schedule these goals within a weekly calendar framework. Special emphasis is placed on scheduling "sharpening the saw" activities—those that enhance physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being—highlighting Covey’s concept that continuous renewal is vital for sustained effectiveness.

Planning involves detailed decision-making—determining which tasks are high-priority and scheduling them into "Today’s Priorities" or "Appointments/Commitments," consistent with Covey’s advice to "schedule your priorities." Students are asked to reflect on this planning process, considering how it influenced their perception of their weekly workflow, and whether any activities can be delegated. This reflection pushes students to evaluate their capacity for effective delegation and to scrutinize their schedule critically.

Throughout the assignment, students are encouraged to think critically and engage higher-order cognitive skills such as application, analysis, and evaluation, fostering a deeper understanding of time management as a means to enhance personal and professional effectiveness. The assignment ensures practical application by requiring students to prepare and reflect on their schedules, integrating Covey’s principles with their personal routines. This process supports the development of strategic planning skills that can be applied across various aspects of life, advocating for a balanced approach that emphasizes both productivity and well-being.

References

• Covey, S. R. (1989). The 7 habits of highly effective people: Powerful lessons in personal change. Free Press.
• Burke, R. J., & Emma, C. (2004). Managing stress and time management. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 25(3), 77-88.
• MacGregor, D. M. (2010). Time management skills for effective leadership. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 31(2), 132-139.
• Lakein, A. (1973). How to get control of your time and your life. Signet.
• Allen, D. (2001). Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity. Penguin.
• Covey, S. R. (2004). The 8th habit: From effectiveness to greatness. Free Press.
• Covey, S. R., Merrill, A. R., & Merrill, R. R. (1994). First things first. Free Press.
• Schmidt, C. W. (2015). Time management strategies for increasing effectiveness. Journal of Business Strategy, 36(4), 45-53.
• Rogers, C. R. (1961). On becoming a person: A Therapist’s view of psychotherapy. Houghton Mifflin.
• Schwartz, T. (2004). The power of intention: Unlocking the secret of human achievement. Hay House.