I've always loved Stephen Covey's four quadrants. I may be mis-labeling because I read 7 Habits about ten years ago. But everything we do falls into one of these four quadrants:
Q1: Urgent and Important
Q2: Important but Not Urgent
Q3: Urgent but Not Important
Q4: Not Urgent and Not Important
I think we tend to neglect Q2. I find myself spending too much time in Q3 doing things that are urgent but not important and too little time in Q2 doing things that are important but not urgent.
As Covey says, "Anything less than a conscious commitment to the important is an unconscious commitment to the urgent."
That is so true and so convicting!
I just felt like I wanted to process what I'm wrestling with right now. My most important time is spent praying on the rooftop of Ebenezers or reading at a coffeehouse. But I have so many emails to answer!
I'm really trying to reprioritize my life right now. I don't want to get sucked into the blackhole called urgent. Seems to me like prayer and bible study are Q2 disciplines. In fact, it seems like all the spiritual disciplines are Q2. They don't feel urgent, but they are so important.
I'm trying to get back to Q2!
Q1: Urgent and Important
Q2: Important but Not Urgent
Q3: Urgent but Not Important
Q4: Not Urgent and Not Important
I think we tend to neglect Q2. I find myself spending too much time in Q3 doing things that are urgent but not important and too little time in Q2 doing things that are important but not urgent.
As Covey says, "Anything less than a conscious commitment to the important is an unconscious commitment to the urgent."
That is so true and so convicting!
I just felt like I wanted to process what I'm wrestling with right now. My most important time is spent praying on the rooftop of Ebenezers or reading at a coffeehouse. But I have so many emails to answer!
I'm really trying to reprioritize my life right now. I don't want to get sucked into the blackhole called urgent. Seems to me like prayer and bible study are Q2 disciplines. In fact, it seems like all the spiritual disciplines are Q2. They don't feel urgent, but they are so important.
I'm trying to get back to Q2!
6 Comments:
Mark, I am new to your blog. I am a Pastor of a 2 year old church plant in Orlando. I really have enjoyed some of your reflections here. Question: How did you get to the place where your most important things are "Praying on a roof top and reading at a coffee house"? Dude, show me the way! Prayer obviously would be at the top, but reading? I noticed to in a past blog that you said you spend 30 hours per week on your message. When do you have time to do all the other "Church" stuff? Is this how it always was with you, or is this rhythm of life a result of growth and staff? Thanks man.
Nathan,
I would say sermon prep is closer to 20 hours these days! I preach more out of life experience that just "study." And I preach 36 times per year so that gives me more gaps.
I can't overstate the importance of reading. It is the way I think new thoughts. It keeps me fresh, growing, learning. It sharpens my edge. Otherwise I become a closed-system!!!
Mark
Mark,
Yeah, good call on the reading. I was looking at your blogs and noticed how many references you had to your reading and it challenged me to step it up. I spend about 12-15 hours on the message, but I want to get more creative. Do you listen to other speakers are all? Last question, did you always have this rhythm of life (ie preaching 36 times per year, taking so much time to read) since the begining of your church, before you had staff? Blessings friend...
Nathan,
Definitely preaching a lot less these days because of other responsibilities and a great teaching team! I used to do 48 weekends. It is definitely an evolving rhythm!
Mark
What a great reminder. Though I am the worship pastor at St. Paul's, I also lead a small group for college freshmen. We were just discussing these dynamics the other day, and I couldn't agree with you more. Thanks for sharing, Mark.
Thanks for making me stop and think today!
To throw an idea out, if someone has a crackberry, I would highly recommend that it find a comfortable resting spot in the travel bag.
That thing tends to drag people into the "urgent but not important" and "not urgent and not important" categories a lot!
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