Workaholism, Covey-style

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BY HERBERT VEGO
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February 11, 2018
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ONE of the quotations that I like is this one from the late Stephen Covey: “We are the creative force of our life, and through our own decisions rather than our conditions, if we carefully learn to do certain things, we can accomplish those goals.”

Dr. Covey – an American educator, businessman and book author – died in a bicycle accident. But his name rings a bell as the author of the book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

The book mirrors the talk that Covey himself walked. He taught that a rich, rewarding life is the result of striving toward worthwhile goals.

Born in Salt Lake City, he was a missionary for the Mormon Church who divided his time between preaching the Word and teaching principle-centered leadership.

The “seven habits” have benefited managers, businessmen, athletes, musicians, artists and students, among others. In seven paragraphs, Covey proposed:

“Be proactive. Make things happen rather than wait for them to happen.

“Begin with the end in mind. Motivate yourself – and direct your energy and activities more effectively – by clearly defining and visualizing your goals.

“Put first things first. Eliminate time wasters (like mindless talk, channel surfing and social networking) and focus on things that will improve the quality of your personal and professional life.

“Think win-win. You achieve things more easily in a cooperative effort than in a competitive struggle. Instead of thinking “their way” or “my way,” look for how others can achieve their objectives as you realize yours.

“Seek first to understand, then to be understood. Persuasive communication is essential. But it begins with being an empathetic listener. Most people do not listen to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.

“Synergize. Ally yourself with capable individuals. Their strengths will compensate for your weaknesses and move you closer to your goal.

“Sharpen the saw. Balance all four aspects of your life – mental, physical, emotional and spiritual – to become more effective. Sharpening the saw means renewing yourself through family, friends, exercise, and devotion or meditation.”

Covey also offers concrete strategies for goal attainment, such as setting aside 15 minutes to plan your day. Then work them out.

After you’ve listed everything, label each item with an A, B or C.  A stands for “Must Be Done.” B means “Should Be Done.” And C is “Could Be Done.”

Then kick off each day by spending at least 30 minutes tackling A1. When your work is completed (or you’ve done all you can for one day), turn your attention to A2. And continue down the line. Only after all the A’s are finished should you turn to the B’s – and only when those are completed do you start on C1.

Covey’s real contribution in his prime was urging us to focus on the important, not just the urgent. He reminded us to allocate generous time for what we value most.

As to what he meant by “First Things First,” the book explains:

“It actually takes more discipline, sacrifice and wisdom to develop an educated conscience than it does to become a great sculptor, golfer, surgeon, Braille reader, or concert pianist. But the rewards are far greater – an educated conscience impacts every aspect of our lives.”

He practiced religion by example. He preached self-reliance because it “makes you work on the one thing over which you truly have control – yourself. We’re here to live, to love, to laugh, to learn, and to leave a legacy.” (hvego31@gmail.com/PN)
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