“In today’s environment, the key to true productivity is not to get more things done, but to get the right things done.” — Adam Merrill
A frequently used metaphor for how to prioritize your time and tasks is the example of trying to fit big rocks, pebbles and sand into an empty jar.
If you start filling the jar by adding the sand first and pebbles second, by the time you get to the rocks, you won't have any room left.
The big rocks symbolize your most important tasks. The things that directly connect to your personal and professional goals as well as reflect your core values.
The pebbles represent stuff that matters, but that's not as important as the big rocks.
And, the sand...well the sand represents everything else. The fluff, the filler...basically the sand is TikTok.
When we fill our lives with sand level tasks, we leave very little time to take care of the things that really matter. We feel "busy" but we aren't actually productive.
Very often people struggle with prioritizing their time and tasks because they:
1️⃣ Have too many priorities 2️⃣ Aren't making time for the things they say are important to them 3️⃣ Can't differentiate the BIG ROCKS from everything else, and/or 4️⃣ Let sand level things get in the way of focusing on what really matters
Getting prioritization right means setting a small number of clear goals and being ruthless about focusing your time, energy and resources on accomplishing those goals—without getting distracted by all the "TikTok" things. As productivity expert Stephen Covey said, "If the big rocks don't go in first, they aren't going to fit in later". And while this analogy is used very often in business coaching, it applies to more than just professional goals. I discuss ad nauseum with my coaching clients (and within these posts, as you may have noticed...) the value of mastering the basics. Of building a solid foundation of BIG ROCKS before even entertaining the idea of sand level stuff (which by the way, is almost never necessary or useful). When it comes to weight loss or maintenance, these BIG ROCKS are: ✔ Nutrition: 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables per day and 1.4-2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day ✔ Exercise: 3-4 times per week (or more), for at least 30 minutes each time ✔ Self care: Setting boundaries, utilizing healthy coping strategies, sleeping 7+ hours per night
✔ Mindset: Embracing progress vs perfection, practicing mindfulness and self compassion
✔ Environment: Building support systems, creating structures that encourage healthy choices, finding your tribe
Now, in the common rock, pebble, sand analogy one of the key takeaways is that if you put the BIG ROCKS into your jar first, you'll still have room for pebbles and sand...so you can go ahead and pack that jar right to the brim! Because more is better, right?! 🙄
Well, when it comes to weight loss, if you focus on the big rocks you won't need to fill your jar with extra stuff.
If you practice the basics, CONSISTENTLY, you won't need to concern yourself with sand and pebbles.
Which means you won't need to:
❌ Go on a detox
❌ Cut out all carbs/sugar/alcohol/pizza etc.
❌ Do hours of mindless cardio
❌ Use a waist trainer (unless of course you enjoy feeling like you can't breathe...)
❌ Drink flat belly tea
By focusing on the BIG ROCKS not only will you make progress towards your goals, you'll get to enjoy all that extra space in the jar.
The wiggle room.
The breathing space.
The freedom to make mistakes, to be human.
Which, if you ask me, sounds pretty great.
But here's the thing, there's a big difference between knowing what's important and actually doing it.
I mean, as awesome as I think my emails are, I don't think anyone read the weight loss BIG ROCKS above and was like..."What?!?! I should be eating fruits and vegetables AND exercising?!?! How come nobody told me this before?"
Yet do you know what my clients and I are constantly troubleshooting?
👉 Mastering the basics.
👉 Building consistency.
👉 Finding ways to make it easier to focus on the basics.
Every. Single. Client.
I have NEVER in my 12+ years of coaching worked with a client who was consistently prioritizing the big rocks AND not making progress.
Let that sink in.
Never.
Not once have I had a client who was "doing everything right" and still not hitting their goals.
Because when asked to honestly assess their consistency in the BIG ROCKS of:
1️⃣ Nutrition
2️⃣ Exercise
3️⃣ Self Care
4️⃣ Mindset
5️⃣ Environment
There was always at least ONE that wasn't getting the appropriate time and/or attention (for a variety of reasons).
It wasn't because of:
❌ Hormones
❌ A "broken" metabolism
❌ "Bad" genetics
👉 It was because they were filling their jars with sand and pebbles so that there wasn't any time or energy left for the stuff that actually matters.
So, if you aren't making the kind of progress towards your goals that you would like, then ask yourself,
What BIG ROCKS have I been neglecting?
🤔 And how can I be just a bit more ruthless about focusing my time, energy and resources on them?
And, what sand level stuff do I need to cut out?
🤔 How can I be just a bit more ruthless about setting and holding my boundaries?
P.S.
If exercise is one of your BIG ROCKS that needs attention right now, then keep an eye on your inbox for a special announcement coming tomorrow!
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