Spinning Plates theory

By: Qwaider

On:Monday, July 20, 2009 12:17:52 AM
In:Thoughts
Viewed: (6407) times

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Have you ever seen those awesome shows where a juggler would spin few plates in the air?

This can be the base of a major new theory in time management. Not only that but it can have an immense effect on business in a way that could revolutionize the way we look at prioritization of efficiency as we "get work done".

Sure, we can take the most important task first, or the easiest one first. But what happens if all 15 things you have to do are ALL top priority? The ability to properly prioritize might not be useful at all in such conditions. The "Field hospital Triage" concept no longer holds, if no patients turn out to be "expendable" or acceptable risk.

So what do you do in such a situation?
... You spin plates!

Over the past few weeks, I learned the true meaning of spinning plates. Especially what it means to a business that doesn't accept or tolerate having things fall off the plates.

I know, I'm using the word "plate" a lot.

But seriously, the issue is exactly like that, you have 15 things to do, and time to only do 2, what do you do?

Ideally, we're symmetric creatures, we have 2 hands, two eyes, two legs, it's only natural that we can do two things at one time. Although, not many people are able to do even that.

So what do you do?...

Well, you start one thing, you deliver it to a state where you think it needs little or no attention from you, and you move on to the second, then the third, and the forth, but you keep an eye on the first one while you move along.

If you look at this from the point of view of women, you'll notice they've been super in doing this for eons. Where men have excelled in doing one job, and focusing on it until completion. Women had to "juggle" three or four EVERY SINGLE DAY of their life.

Imagine, a lady starts her day by preparing the ingredients for lunch, then loads some dirty cloths in the washing machine, while the food is getting cooked, she starts doing the dishes, while keeping an eye on her baby. Once she's done and her baby is fed, changed and burped, she moves on to checking on her food, while talking on the phone to her best friend, and keeping up to date on her favorite soap opera on TV.

Those multitasking jobs are truly spinning plates. One doesn't need to in constant direct attention as long as the art of juggling is perfected.

Now, can you think of areas where spinning plates can help your life, and your business thrive?
I know from experience that without that, my life could have been really miserable now!