I remember a lecture in college in which my professor talked about "putting the big rocks in first." This concept has been around for a while, and I am not sure who said it first. (I can't even remember which professor told me!) But, I do remember the concept very well. Basically, it is the idea of having a certain amount of space (or time) (in your life). If your space (or life) gets filled with the little things (pebbles) first, there won't be space for the larger, more important things. However, if you put the larger rocks in first, the smaller rocks will fall in the blank spaces. And, it can even keep going with smaller items. Sand could fill in the even smaller spaces. Water could then flow through the areas left.
This concept can be applied to all areas of your life. The big rocks could be things like your job, your family, your religion, your health, your community, etc. The smaller rocks could be things that seem important when you are in the thick of them, but when you step back, you realize that they are not necessarily as important. They could be your kid's 5 different extra-curricular activities, volunteering for every function at your church or school, trying to keep up with the Jones's.
This concept can also be applied to organizing, on a couple of different levels. First, people tend to get bogged down in the small things (pebbles) when they try to get organized. They need to step back and get the big picture. What are the boulders, or big rocks? What are their goals? What is keeping them from getting organized, or staying organized? Deciding where that one paper clip, or singular shoe goes is a pebble, and should be dealt with after getting the big rocks figured out.
Secondly, on a more physical level, when starting to organize a space. Start big! Get everything out, sort, toss, and then start bringing things back in starting with the large items. Then, bring in the smaller items.
Also, getting your home organized makes space in your life for those big rocks, and may even show that you have room in your life for the smaller rocks.
That college lecture was a long time ago, but it obviously meant something to me. (Trust me, I remember very few things from the lectures!) So, I hope you remember to start with the Big Rocks!
