Quad what?

Like everyone else, I have ‘want to do’s, ‘ought to do’s and ‘have to do now’s. Like everyone else, I have 24 hours to decide what I will do. Like many of you, I’ve had time management courses (school, college, church provided). They teach us to think in terms of xy: x being important and y being pressing. You categorize your actions for a day or week into boxes as such. Quad 1: pressing and important; quad 2: not pressing but important; quad 3: pressing but not important; quad 4: not pressing and not important.
It is always interesting to see how people assign value to various activities the first time they are involved in this. When it comes time to talk about their list, they usually have things scribbled and transferred according to how far down the share chain they speak. Of course, the whole point is to help us analyze and prioritize. It also helps to understand that a little quad 4 is necessary for a balanced life. What we find is that quad 2 is often sacrificed for quad 3.
Well sometimes life decides for you. My day today was changed first by a lesson cancellation due to sickness and second by rain. The cancellation left time open. Yesterday, pain and lack stopped my progress on the stucco. Though I did buy more mix, I was glad that I would have time to repair my aching hands and body today through Thursday, though I was considering working on it some tonight if it was not raining. It is a naggy looking thing that is based in need to get surfaces protected from the elements: a sort of quad one. Yet relief came when I stepped out into my studio court yard and felt the shower. Yes! Quad 1 thwarted. Of course that other quad 1 – getting the trash out on trash day, has to be done whatever the weather. But that doesn’t take long.
I need to update my website. A definite quad 2. It doesn’t press, but in the back of my mind, I know my visitors like a fresh feel and my students expect to see their work displayed. Potential students use it as a gauge for class value. It’s a laborious task and very time consuming. I tend to look around for quad 3s before I sit down. If I don’t make the jello now, I won’t have it when I need a break and a snack.
There is laundry in my quad 2 list. If I don’t do at least some, it will become a quad 1. Okay now that took only a little bit of my freed time –until later.
So I log on. I really do enjoy the work on my site and I have some ready files. Oh, my e-mail button says 9 new. Quad 4. Read 1; delete 3; mark 3 as spam; ignore 2 for now. Oh yeah, I wanted to change my blast and I’ll check 360 for messages and comments. While I’m here, I might as well compose that post on prioritizing. Definite Quad 4.
Well there’s the trash man (satisfaction, reinforcement). Oh there’s Fed Ex with my art order (satisfaction, reinforcement). Laundry needs put in the dryer or hung –see, that’s a quad 2.
Back to the computer to complete writing the post. Now it’s becoming quad 3 as my mind surveys the time and thinks of the other quad 3’s in the wings and my waiting website update. I also need to drill the corbels and hang my candolier before something gets broken (quad 2). I also need to go through my order and get things put away before class (quad 3). Time is getting short. Well, I’ll post this later. No, I’ll just wrap it up and post it now before I have lunch and pick things up for classes. Accomplished in a morning of freedom? 1 quad 1; 2 quad 2’s; several quad 3’s; and at least 3 quad 4’s. How time flies!
The picture is my not quite finished candolier.