The origin of the “Big Rocks” concept is unknown, but it was popularized by Stephen Covey in his book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Simply put, your Big Rocks are your priorities.  They are the things that lay the foundation for overall wellness and achievement, such as, time with family, play, movement/exercise, sleep and nutrition.  Often times the big rocks become second to the “little things” in life.  Happy, successful people have a clear picture of what their “big rocks” are.  They have developed daily habits that ensure these priorities come first, making room for the little rocks later. 

Using big rocks versus little rocks as a metaphor can be very helpful when teaching children time management. The following video gives it a visual that young children can grasp and begin to understand.