FROM THE EDITORS October 27, 2008 Issue

WHAT TO DO, AND WHAT NOT TO DO

THIS QUESTION touches on a key issue in time management: the importance of establishing priorities that lead to greater efficiency and peace of mind in the home, office, church, playground, schoolroom.

Making good choices, especially through the careful balancing of priorities, is a prominent focus in a recent Business Week special report where the magazine's writers and readers join in identifying their top concerns at work, and then discuss in depth how they are tackling these problems ("Trouble at the Office?" August 25-September 1, 2008).

In the report's first interview, author and "management thinker" Jim Collins makes the point that a "not-to-do list" is actually more important than a "to-do list," which just grows longer. You need a corresponding item on the "stop doing" list, he says, advising readers to build "pockets of quietude" into their schedules— "times when you have an appointment with yourself, and it's protected."

Send a comment to the editors

This is the end of the issue. Ready to explore further?

Online features Audio