Based on a study of a cross section of businesses, from the mom and pop shops to Fortune 500 companies, the following was discovered.
On average, 50 to 60 percent of the workforce’s time is spent on not important-urgent activities like, interruptions, some phone calls, mail, some reports, non-productive meetings, pressing matters and many popular activities.
On average, 25 to 30 percent of the workforce’s time is spent on important-urgent activities like, immediately productive activities, problems, crises, productive meetings and deadlines.
On average, 15 percent of the workforce’s time is spent on important-not urgent activities like, prevention, seizing opportunities, preparation, planning, relationships, true re-creation and productive meetings.
On average, 2 to 3 percent of the workforce’s time is spent on not important-not urgent activities like, trivia, busywork, some mail, some phone calls, time wasters and many pleasant activities.
To be successful a business should:
- Spend 65-80 percent of their time on important-not urgent activities.
- Spend 20-25 percent of their time on important-urgent activities.
- Spend 15 percent of their time on not important-urgent activities.
- Spend less that 1 percent of their time on not important-not urgent activities.
