First Things First (Hardcover)

by Stephen R. Covey (Author), A. Roger Merrill (Author), Rebecca R. Merrill (Author) "WE'RE constantly making choices about the way we spend our time, from the major seasons to the individual moments in our lives..." (more)
Key Phrases: quality council, things first together, empowerment from the inside out, Circle of Influence, Personal Integrity Account, Laws of Life (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
What are the most important things in your life? Do they get as much care, emphasis, and time as you'd like to give them? Far from the traditional "be-more-efficient" time-management book with shortcut techniques, First Things First shows you how to look at your use of time totally differently. Using this book will help you create balance between your personal and professional responsibilities by putting first things first and acting on them. Covey teaches an organizing process that helps you categorize tasks so you focus on what is important, not merely what is urgent. First you divide tasks into these quadrants:

1. Important and Urgent (crises, deadline-driven projects)
2. Important, Not Urgent (preparation, prevention, planning, relationships)
3. Urgent, Not Important (interruptions, many pressing matters)
4. Not Urgent, Not Important (trivia, time wasters)

Most people spend most of their time in quadrants 1 and 3, while quadrant 2 is where quality happens. "Doing more things faster is no substitute for doing the right things," says Covey. He points you toward the real human needs--"to live, to love, to learn, to leave a legacy"--and how to balance your time to achieve a meaningful life, not just get things done. --Joan Price --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From Publishers Weekly
This is the latest time-management book from the author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; 1 edition (January 15, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671864416
• ISBN-13: 978-0671864415
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (72 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #280,914 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #45 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Authors, A-Z > Covey, Stephen R.
  #70 in	Books > Business & Investing > Skills > Time Management

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

134 of 150 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An unexpected life-changer, January 22, 2000

By	Max Jones "misterplow" (Auburn, AL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: First Things First (Paperback)

I have to get a couple of things out of the way right now to make you understand why this book has been so important to me (and could be to you as well). First, I am definitely someone who shuns most self-help tomes--I think most of them are crutches for weak people too lazy to get their acts together or too clueless to embrace a little common sense. Second, my prior experiences with the Covey cult were less than satisfying, as I had a boss (now departed) who talked the Covey talk but did not (I now see) truly walk the walk. This book differs from the _7 Habits_ texts in that it really deals with taking the general Covey concepts ("principle-centered living") and giving them a practical sheen--in this case by applying them to time management. Learning to divide my activities between "urgent" and "important," planning my life around certain "roles" that I have to fill, and composing a "mission statement" (a much more realistic and helpful version of year 2000 New Year's resolutions for me)--these were the concepts that have really helped me organize my life as efficiently as possible (and I was already pretty organized). I highly recommend buying the book and then following up by getting a Franklin Covey planner, where you can take the lessons from the book and start building your time and life around them. I have loaned the book to several friends and students (I teach high school) and all of them have benefitted from it in some way or another. Buying _First Things First_ will be one of the best things you can do for yourself.

And I can't believe I just wrote a positive review of a self-help book. Trust me on how helpful this book can be.

33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiritional and practical, June 14, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: First Things First (Paperback)

USA Today said that Stephen Covey is the hottest self-improvement consultant to hit U.S. business since Dale Carnegie and I agree. Covey is the best.

In First Things First, Covey discloses powerful time management techniques. What makes this book different from typical time management books and programs is that Covey shows you how to see the whole picture rather than tiny fragments of our lives.

Before reading and applying the techniques in First Things First, I would always lament

"I have too much to do---and not enough time to do it."
"I can't balance my personal life with my business life."
"There is too little of me and too much to do."
"I don't feel in controlof my life."
"Why do I feel so empty all the time."

What you won't find in this book is another daytimer program or another clock. Covey explains why it is more important to know where you are heading instead of how fast you are going. You won't find the old theory of working harder, faster, smarter and more, more, more. It's about effectiveness, not efficiency. And most importantly, it really works.

Thank you Dr. Covey!

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From Covey cynic to convert, June 29, 2001

By	Marie Jones (Johnson City, TN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: First Things First (Paperback)

I admit it, I was a Covey cynic. I hadn't read him, but had heard him quoted ad nauseum. Now, I'm a convert. This thoughtful book transforms bland time management techniques into tools for re-examining your life in terms of personalized mission statements. In this rushed world, the idea of deeply knowing what you want out of life and making sure that your activities fit in with that knowledge is radically different. Balance is emphasized, with that balance organized around your roles in life and real human needs, "to learn, to live, to love and to leave a legacy." Covey divides all activities into four quadrants: 1.Important and Urgent (crises, deadline-driven projects) 2.Important, Not Urgent (preparation, prevention, planning, relationships) 3.Urgent, Not Important (interruptions, many pressing matters) 4.Not Urgent, Not Important (trivia, time wasters)

The idea is to keep your activities primarily in the second category and to consciously choose activities because of what's important, not because of what's urgent. Covey et al also provide a list of the "Wisdom Literature" from around the world to help you ground your personal mission and life goals in the philosophies that have explored these ideas through the centuries. Don't try to read this book without allowing plenty of reflection time. After you've read the book, you'll allow plenty of reflection time for everything.