First Things First

Overview

"First Things First" by Stephen R. Covey, A. Roger Merrill, and Rebecca R. Merrill builds on Covey's famous "7 Habits of Highly Effective People," specifically expanding on Habit 3: Put First Things First. The book presents a principle-centered approach to time management that aligns daily activities with deeply held values and life goals.

Core Philosophy

The central premise is that effective time management isn't about managing time at all – it's about managing ourselves and our choices. The book distinguishes between:

• The Clock: Represents commitments, appointments, schedules, goals, activities
• The Compass: Represents vision, values, principles, mission, conscience, direction

True effectiveness comes from balancing the clock with the compass.

The Time Management Matrix

The book popularized the Eisenhower Matrix, dividing tasks into four quadrants:

Quadrant I: Urgent & Important

• Crises, pressing problems, deadline-driven projects
• Cannot be ignored but living here leads to stress and burnout

Quadrant II: Not Urgent & Important (The Key Quadrant)

• Prevention, relationship building, planning, recreation
• Where leadership, vision, and effective personal management happen
• Most neglected but most important for long-term success

Quadrant III: Urgent & Not Important

• Interruptions, some calls and emails, other people's minor issues
• Creates the illusion of importance because it's urgent

Quadrant IV: Not Urgent & Not Important

• Trivia, busywork, time wasters, excessive TV
• Should be minimized or eliminated

Key Principles

Weekly Planning

Rather than daily to-do lists, focus on weekly planning that allows for flexibility while maintaining strategic direction.

Roles and Goals

Identify key roles in life (parent, spouse, professional, community member) and set goals for each, ensuring balanced progress.

Integrity in the Moment of Choice

Alignment between values and actions when making decisions about how to spend time.

The "Yes" and "No"

Saying yes to what matters most requires saying no to other things, even good things.

Practical Tools

• Personal Mission Statement: Define your life's purpose and values
• Role Identification: Clarify the different hats you wear
• Weekly Compass: Plan each week around roles and Quadrant II activities
• Daily Adaptation: Allow flexibility within the weekly framework
• Principle-Centered Decision Making: Use values as criteria for choices

The Difference from Traditional Time Management

Traditional approaches focus on:

• Efficiency and speed
• Doing more in less time
• Better organization of tasks

First Things First focuses on:

• Effectiveness over efficiency
• Doing the right things rather than doing things right
• Living with integrity to values
• Quality of results and relationships

Impact

The book has fundamentally shaped modern thinking about productivity and time management, moving the conversation from mere efficiency to meaningful effectiveness aligned with personal values.

Ideal For

Leaders, executives, anyone feeling successful but unfulfilled, people struggling to balance work and personal life, and those seeking to align daily actions with deeper purpose.