The 10-80-10 Rule for life
Past
All of us correct ourselves based on past experience. This is a right approach. However, how much time should we spend in recollecting and reviewing the past? The answer to this question is that we should spend only that much time on past, which is required for deciding corrective or preventive actions for improvement. Nothing more. If we start living in past, that is waste of time! So approximately 10 % of your day is more than sufficient.
Present
The best thing is to live in ‘now’. Focus on what you are doing today. All round thinking on all perspectives of the current work at hand is more important. Spend approximately 80% time of your day on thinking and doing current work at hand in a focused manner. Actions are important. Investing in ‘process’ is important. Enjoy every moment before you miss it. Time is like Ice Candy; you must enjoy it before it melts away!
Future
All great leaders, have told us to dream ’big’. They are right. Unless you dream big, you cannot reach there. If you want to leave your foot prints on time, you must dream big, plan for that big goal and act upon. However, if you only keep dreaming all the time, when will you act upon the dream? So use not more than 10 % time of your day for long term planning. Fix up goals only to set direction. Make only blue sky planning (not Blue Print detailing) for long term. Have clarity only for near future and carry out planning on the go.
Too much detail planning is waste of time, any ways things keep changing!