Years ago I was sent on a management course that taught us that all tasks could be divided into four: easy-but-non-urgent, easy-and-urgent, difficult-but-non-urgent and difficult-and-urgent.

Most people spend their time in the easy-but-non-urgent box, and only move into the urgent boxes when something breaks or a customer yells.

But if you make yourself spend your time in the difficult-but-non-urgent box, you have a smooth life because you get things done before they get urgent.