5 P’s of Personal Effectiveness

Effectiveness means getting the right things done at the right time to produce the greatest positive impact in your life. There are five ways or 5 P’s to harness the power of your effectiveness:


1. Prevention: Have you noticed lifts in the office are maintained monthly to prevent breakdown, accidents and crisis situations? We should do the same to take preventive measures in whatever we do. We drive defensively to avoid accidents; we secure our house to prevent theft and burglary. We have sufficient sleep to avoid a decline in our energy and concentration levels during the day. Prevention is to avoid wasting valuable time doing the unnecessary in an emergency situation. And most important of all to avoid fatalities.

2. Preparation and planning: It is the most effective way to live life. You set long-term written goals. You chart the steps to be taken in each stage of your life. You do your to-do list in the evening for the following day relating to the tasks to reach your objectives. When you have accomplished the tasks of the day every day you will eventually achieve your weekly, monthly and yearly goals. Preparation and planning are to avoid wasting your effort and energy. It gives you direction in life. Most important of all, you are ready to grab an opportunity when it presents itself.

3. Physical Activities: If you think you can just work and work to reach your goals faster, you are heading for a disaster. You need to take time out to move your body to be fit and to keep in good shape, if you don’t you will fall ill and it will take you even longer to realize your dreams Doing exercise every day is another way of taking the preventive measure. Taking breaks between tasks is a smart way to avoid stress and nervous breakdown.

4. Partnership: It is about fostering closer relationships between husband and wife, parents and children, among friends and colleagues, between you and your boss. Always keep in touch and communicate often with others. Keep the line of exchange open. Deposit in the relationship-building regularly so that you can easily seek help when the need arises.

5. Pay yourself first: It is yet another great way to adopt a preventive measure. In this case, it is to prevent an emergency situation by having an emergency fund. The only way to create such a fund is to pay yourself first by saving an amount every month and over time you will create a fund possibly lasting you for six months or even more of your monthly outlays. You will be able to neutralize and cushion the effect of a financial emergency such as unexpected medical expenses


You can take your time to do all these things, they are not urgent but they are very important. When you do it, you will avoid frustration, disappointment, hopelessness, sadness, regrets and failures in life.