The most common complaint I hear in business is a lack of time. Despite the futility of wishing for more it doesn’t stop people wasting what they have.

Whilst some people have made millions, even billions, selling products that will make us more efficient, the reality is that many people feel busier than ever. Indeed there’s a whole movement I call “The Glorification of Busy” and it’s harmful, not just for business but for personal relationships, families and health – the things we say we value most.

Stephen Covey suggested the idea that to be effective, rather than efficient, requires a shift from prioritising your schedule to scheduling your priorities. In Habit 3, “Put First Things First”, his much copied time management matrix, (Urgency and Importance), is still the most relevant tool you can use to make sure you’re investing your time wisely. There is no better method, so save yourself a lot of money, and time for that matter, and just list out your most important things, (“First Things”), and then schedule them weekly into your diary.

Today is a bonus day, we only get this one extra day every four years, but how are you spending it? Have you planned anything different? Have you allocated today to new and exciting projects? Have you taken it off to spend time with your friends and family? Or is it just another Monday?