Apie
“Put First Things First” is about turning your vision and values into action by focusing on what truly matters. It means organizing your time and energy around priorities rather than reacting to urgent but less important demands. While Habit 2 (Begin with the End in Mind) is about defining what’s important, Habit 3 is about living it — through discipline, balance, and conscious choice.
In youth work, this habit encourages both youth workers and young people to make intentional decisions about how they use their time, attention, and effort. It invites reflection on what tasks, relationships, and goals align with core values — and which distractions or pressures might pull us away from them.
Putting first things first also means learning to say “no” to things that do not support our purpose, so we can say “yes” to what really counts. It helps youth workers manage responsibilities effectively, set boundaries, and model healthy balance and focus for young people.
When young people learn to prioritize what is meaningful over what is merely urgent, they gain skills in self-management, planning, and resilience — essential for personal growth and leadership.