Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important.

Stephen R. Covey popularized the distinction between “urgent” and “important” in his time-management teaching, especially in the “Time Management Matrix” (Quadrants I–IV) associated with Habit 3, “Put First Things First.” The line is commonly quoted in connection with his argument that modern life and workplace culture reward constant responsiveness—deadlines, interruptions, crises—while crowding out activities that are strategically important but not pressing, such as planning, relationship-building, prevention, and personal development. The quote circulates widely in summaries and trainings derived from Covey’s books and seminars in the late 1980s–1990s.

The quote warns that urgency is a poor proxy for value. “Urgent” tasks demand immediate attention and create the feeling of productivity, but they can keep a person reactive—living by other people’s priorities or by short-term pressures. “Important” tasks align with long-term goals, principles, and desired outcomes, yet often lack deadlines and therefore require deliberate choice and self-governance. Covey’s point is not to ignore urgent matters, but to shift more time into what matters most before it becomes a crisis: investing in prevention, clarifying priorities, and acting proactively so that the important does not perpetually get postponed.

1) “Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important.”
2) “We spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important.”
3) “People spend too much time on the urgent and not enough on the important.”