Cliche in Business World - Put on the Back Burner

These literally refer to old-time wood burning cooking stoves. Stoves were used for heat as well as preparing food so they were always in use. When the cook was cooking, food was put on the front burner where she could watch it. The back burner was for things to be served or dealt with later. For example, the cook would have a pot of soup on the back burner and would add bits and pieces of food over a long period of time. It may cook for days. The soup would eventually be served to the family. So when you put something on the back burner in the business world, you delay making a decision or working on it until later. When the project hits the front burner, it has become important enough to work on now.