Putting First Things First—How to Escape the Tyranny of the Urgent

Ever had a week vanish in a haze of small emergencies and distractions, only to realize you barely touched what really matters? The constant buzz of urgent tasks—emails, messages, last-minute demands—can leave you chasing your tail, exhausted and unsatisfied.

Anna was drowning in deadlines and noise, barely remembering what her own priorities were. Her breakthrough came when she started each week with a blank calendar and filled it, first, with blocks for what mattered most: a study group, a family walk, a creative project. Then she built everything else around that. It felt scary at first to leave phone notifications and ‘shoulds’ for later, but by the end of the month, Anna’s stress plummeted and her sense of achievement soared.

Time management experts refer to this as the shift from ‘urgent’ to ‘important’—it’s basic, but most people never put it in practice. The science is clear: we feel happiest and most productive when we invest energy in priorities that align with our values, not just in urgent stuff that shows up.

Before your upcoming week fills up, stop to name your most important goals in each of your main roles—student, friend, worker, whatever matters most. Claim time for these first in your calendar, even if it’s just 30 focused minutes a day. Be ready to adapt—life happens—but let your big goals shape your daily choices. Watch how much calmer and more accomplished you feel as you starve the urgent and feed the important.