Priorities: Don't ignore the important but not urgent
By Mayo Clinic staffOriginal Article: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/priorities/MY01409
- With Mayo Clinic oncologist
Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
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Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
Edward Creagan, M.D.
"The magic of the electronic village is transforming health information. The mouse and keyboard have extended the stethoscope to the 500 million people now online." — Dr. Edward Creagan
The power of the medium inspires Dr. Edward Creagan as he searches for ways to share Mayo Clinic's vast resources with the general public.
Dr. Creagan, a Newark, N.J., native, is board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology, and hospice medicine and palliative care. He has been with Mayo Clinic since 1973 and in 1999 was president of the staff of Mayo Clinic.
Dr. Creagan, a professor of medical oncology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, was honored in 1995 with the John and Roma Rouse Professor of Humanism in Medicine Award and in 1992 with the Distinguished Mayo Clinician Award, Mayo's highest recognition. He has been recognized with the American Cancer Society Professorship of Clinical Oncology.
He describes his areas of special interest as "wellness as a bio-psycho-social-spiritual-financial model" and fitness, mind-body connection, aging and burnout.
Dr. Creagan has been an associate medical editor with Mayo Clinic's health information websites and has edited publications and CD-ROMs and reviewed articles.
"We the team of (the website) provide reliable, easy-to-understand health and wellness information so that each of us can have productive, meaningful lives," he says.
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Stress blog
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Aug. 12, 2010
Priorities: Don't ignore the important but not urgent
By Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
While thumbing through a magazine in an airport, I came across an interesting take on the traditional to-do list. Most folks keep such a list on a smart phone, a piece of paper or just in their brains. Most often the list includes fairly mundane items, such as "get gas" and "buy groceries." More organized people may even have slightly longer term tasks on their lists, such as:
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- Renew driver's license
- Schedule annual dental checkup
- Pay off credit card
But the article I read suggested taking an even longer view and creating another to-do list focused on your future goals and what you need to do to accomplish them.
Examples of items on this list might include the following:
- Update resume for a possible job search
- Register online for a course to expand skills
- Visit a financial planner
This second list was new to me and a good reminder of the need to focus not only on what's urgent but also on what's important. Obviously, you can't skip the day-to-day stuff, like taking the cat to the vet, but neither can you neglect long-term planning for your own wellbeing.
How do you prioritize the "must do's" and still keep your future in your sights?
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