Filling Your Mayonnaise Jar

A professor stood before his class and filled an empty mayonnaise jar with golf balls. He asked the students if the jar was full, and they agreed that it was.

So he picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next poured a box of sand into the jar. The sand filled up the spaces between the pebbles. Once more, the students agreed that the jar was full.

Finally, the professor poured two cups of coffee into the jar, effectively filling the empty spaces between the grains of sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, "This jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - school, family, your health, your friends, and your passions. The pebbles are the other things that matter, like your job and home. The sand is everything else - the small stuff.

"If you put the sand in the jar first, there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, there won't be room for the important things. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness and your future. Study! Take care of your health. Nurture your relationships. There will always be time to do your laundry. Take care of the golf balls, the things that really matter, first. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

And as for the coffee? Well, no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."