Actually the correct spelling is minutia. However you spell it, the question remains: How do we avoid getting stuck in it?  First let's get a handle on: What is it?  From dictionary.com...

So it means petty details. Let's define what it really means for many of us.

1. Metaphoric mud, quicksand or manure.
2. All of that seemly urgent, somewhat routine, not that important stuff that needs doing. When we routinely do it, it keeps us from getting to the less urgent yet really important stuff that would lead to greater progress and success if we could just get around to it.
3. Undesirable clutter
4. Stuff that hijacks your #1To-Do List items
5. a less vulgar way to convey the s-word

Listen for the term. When you hear it, is it describing a scenario with an absence of focus on what is genuinely important?  Isn't the trivial outranking things of higher potential when allocating time and/or resources?

Mixing Economists and minutia

Now here's a group we might associate with minutia; economists!  They seem to enjoy using intellectual yet cluttered phrases like marginal propensity to consume. Perhaps they might help us here. Let's create a new economists' buzz-concept. If economists examined the opportunity cost of minutia where you work,could they quantify the amount of major opportunities that are squandered? The results of your daily minutia?  What opportunities are currently on your agenda that were also there six to twelve months ago?   What does delayed execution cost you each year?

Solution: Working SMARTer

Isn't 's this just another way to define the difference between working hard and working SMART? Working SMART is about avoiding, minimizing and overcoming minutia.  It's about prioritized commitment to written goals and action plans for your most significant achievements. If we could just get ourselves and co-workers to commit to the active pursuit of goal achievement, might you reduce our opportunity cost of minutia?  

Authors notes:

With as many times as I've used the word minutia on this page, this page has become prominent in Google and Yahoo for both menusha and minutia. If only minutia was a saleable e-commerce commodity! Perhaps not. However our clients tell us that helping them to rise above their minutia has significant value.  If it's getting deep where you work and you're open to take action to avoid squandering  opportunities, feel free to drop me a line. 

Minutia Trivia: for the hopelessly mired.

• There is a Menasha, Wisconsin (that's Men-ASH-a). 

• Menusha is a first name for some women of Japanese ancestry. For the sake of these women, let's hope it's also the name of a Japanese flower or fragrance.  

• There's a Minutia Magazine. No Menusha! It's for micro and mini car enthusiasts.

• Minutia Trivia?  How redundant is that?  

• Enough! How is trivial minutia is holding you back? Before you go back to work: What might you start to do differently to overcome it?