Assignment #7

Submitted by

HAMZA KHALID

70072479

SUBJECT

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
WORKSHOP

TOPIC: Change Management

Submitted to Ma’am Aisha Kashif

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How to differentiate between what looks important and not Important?
Whether you’re new to time management or a seasoned veteran, you’ve definitely
experienced an overwhelming feeling or panic when addressing a very long to-do list. You’ve
likely asked yourself:

“So, where do I even start with this to-do list?”

“Can I actually get any of this done?”

“What is due first?”

The last question, what is due first? is a trap! At first it appears helpful as it implies priority,
but in reality, it can steer you away from your goals by routing your attention to things that
are only urgent and not important.

Urgent and important: Similar but not the same

You’re likely asking yourself, What’s the difference between urgent and important? This is a
critical distinction to make as you work toward becoming the most effective and productive
version of yourself. So, let’s break down the difference between urgent and important.

Think of importance as a label or category for a task or activity aligned with or supporting a
larger goal or objective. On the other hand, urgent is a label or category that simply indicates
an activity is time-sensitive and requires your immediate attention.

The difference between “Urgent” and “Important”: -

Urgent: An urgent task is time sensitive which need to be dealt on immediate basis.

For example:

These are things like phone calls, tasks with impending deadlines, and situations where you
have to respond quickly. Responding to an email, when you have to do it, is usually an urgent
task.

WHEREAS

Important: Important tasks are tasks that contribute to long-term missions and goals.

These will be the things that don’t necessarily have deadlines against them, but you make a
point in doing because they’re needed in order to achieve a certain goal. Just as the urgent,
but not important, tasks this is also true for work related things.

For example:

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These are things like that book you want to write, the presentation you’d like to make for a
promotion, and the company you plan on starting.

“What is important is seldom urgent, and what is urgent is seldom important.”

– Dwight D. Eisenhower

It all depends upon prioritizing our work/ tasks as urgent or important.

Urgent tasks always come up. And there will always be more urgent tasks than you have time
to accomplish, no matter how hard you try.

Have you ever found yourself saying, “[X] is really important, but I don’t have time for it
right now”?

Whenever you do that, you’re making that trade-off between important and urgent.

Similarly, an important task should also be considered on priority list.

The easiest way to make sure an important task urgent is to give deadline to it.