At Growth By Design, we believe intentional choices lead to impactful growth, whether you’re shaping a thriving organization or a meaningful life. Here, we provide the practical information, tools, and frameworks to get you there. We know organizational leaders are pulled in a hundred directions – deadlines, meetings, strategies, and emails all compete for every slice of your day. It’s tempting to believe you’re “too busy” or your plate is “just too full.” Today, let’s consider if the core issue isn’t time at all, but priorities?

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The Jar, the Rocks, and the Sand

You may have seen the famous video: A professor stands before his students with a large glass jar, several large rocks, pebbles, and sand. He places the rocks in first, then the pebbles, then the sand, perfectly filling the jar. But if he’d started with the sand, there’d never be room for the rocks. The lesson? You always make room for what you truly value – if you put it in first. I think about this video often, whenever I feel stressed or when my task list is growing and I find myself saying no to things that bring me joy.

“I’m Too Busy” Is a Signal, Not a Fact

As a leader, your calendar overflows because so many things feel urgent. But when you catch yourself saying, “I’m too busy,” pause. What’s getting your first, best energy? Are people—your team, customers, family—relegated to “someday” status? What about your own wellbeing, learning, or bigger goals?

Here’s the reality: None of us control time, but we do control our attention. When something matters enough, it finds a way onto your plate and into your day.

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“You can’t get to courage without walking through vulnerability. And if you’re too busy to be vulnerable, you’re probably missing what matters most.”

– Brene Brown

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Three Reflections That Have Helped Me Reclaim My Priorities

• Model Priority in Action: Leadership is visible. When you focus on the “rocks” and let some sand go undone, your team learns to do the same – and you foster a healthier, more purposeful culture.
• Audit Your Rocks: What are the true “big rocks” in your role and your life? Make a physical list – and check your calendar for alignment.
• Challenge the Myth of Busyness: Next time you think, “I don’t have time,” ask yourself: “Is this truly not important, or am I letting pebbles and sand crowd out what matters?”

Time to Reorganize Your Priorities

The jar metaphor isn’t just a clever classroom moment, it’s a blueprint for living and leading with intention. Don’t let the sand and pebbles of daily noise crowd out your deepest goals. The challenge isn’t about having more time – it’s about making deliberate choices, every single day, to prioritize the things that matter.

So friends, I invite you to pause and ask yourself: What are my big rocks? And how will I put them into my jar – today?

Onward and upward!
Katie