Taking the time to sharpening your tools is listed as a key habit by Steven R. Convey in his bestselling book, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People". The story goes like this:

Will Sherwood was a woodsman. One day was working in a forest, cutting down a large tree. A stranger happened to be passing by and on meeting the woodsman asked, 'What are you doing?'

'I'm cutting down this tree,' came Will's gruff reply as he continued to chop.

'You look very tired indeed,' the stranger continued. 'And just how long have you been cutting the tree?' Will downed his axe.

'A long time,' replied the woodsman as he wiped his brow. 'In fact, I've been at it for many hours now, and I'm exhausted. It really is hard work.'

'At the risk of interfering,' suggested the stranger, 'why don't you take a break for a few minutes and sharpen your axe. That'll make your job easier and you'll take less time on the job.'

Will replied. 'I don't have time to sharpen the axe,' he said as he again swung his axe into the tree. 'I'm too busy chopping!'

Are you like Will Sherwood, the woodsman - too busy to stop doing what he was doing? Or do you make sure you take the time every now and then to sharpen your axe?