10 Solutions to Help You Prioritise Better
Prioritising is an art that requires self-control and willpower. Despite trying to lead your life with your priorities, you might encounter various blocks along the way. Yet, there is always a solution to every problem and you can overcome anything!
I don’t have enough time. I work all day but accomplish very little and I’m nowhere close to achieving my goals. And I lose entire days like this.
Even though we all feel like we don’t have time, we have the same amount of time as the most effective people on Earth.
You’re probably bombarded with distractions and spend the day reacting to everything that comes your way. Some tasks may seem urgent and compete for your attention, but they’re unimportant and simply gobble up your time. According to a study, the average person touches their phone 2,617 times each day. So, turn off your notifications and maintain a distraction-free workspace. Say no to other people more often. Follow the 80/20 rule and determine what 20 per cent of effort can give you 80 per cent of results. Remind yourself that focusing on your priorities can change your life exponentially.
How do I prioritise?
To live a life that you don’t want to escape from, your time and energy should be spent on your priorities. Write down your priorities and goals. You’ll need to resist distractions and small tasks. You also cannot allow others to decide what you do with your time. If not, you’ll be focusing on their priorities instead of your own. Say no to others more often and don’t feel bad about it.
I am tired by the time I get to do my priorities.
You get 3-5 high-energy hours every day. Don’t spend your peak performance hours on routine meetings or answering emails. If you can somehow make sure to spend these hours on your most important priorities, you should be thriving.
How do I prioritise some people and not others? Won’t people think I’m rude?
Sadly, it’s the wrong things and the wrong people that want more of our attention whereas the people who deserve our time hardly ever ask for it. Yes, relationships are important and you don’t want to be mean. Spend most of your time with energizing top performers and the people you care about. If you don’t prioritise who you spend time with, others will decide for you. Have a clear strategy for saying no in a gentle way, or you will default to saying yes to everyone.
When you have to say no,
- Tell them that you’d love to meet them (if this is true).
- Kindly, yet firmly, say you can’t.
- Suggest someone else or some other resource that can help them.
- And, thank them for thinking about and choosing you.
Work and life toss me around and I’m unable to properly stick to my priorities. My boss isn’t allowing any room for change in my schedule either.
Schedule your priorities anyway. Things never turn out perfectly as planned and that’s totally okay. Simply scheduling your priorities acts as a reminder and helps to keep you on track at least half the time. If talking to your boss hasn’t helped, ignore the weekly 40 hours that you don’t have control over and focus on the remaining 128 hours. Also, as life goes on, if your priorities change, embrace this change and schedule them accordingly.
Every day, I spend a lot of time (stuck) trying to make simple decisions about what to eat and do.
Pre-plan and stick to it. For example, narrow down and decide your top 3 foods for each meal that you can default to whenever you want to make a decision. Choose 3 charities to donate to and this helps you say no to everyone else who may ask for a donation. By narrowing down and deciding in advance, you’ve set up rules for yourself that can preserve your mental energy and time.
As a mom, I find that I compare myself with other moms and end up wasting a lot of time.
What other moms are doing is probably part of THEIR priorities. You’ll need to separate yourself from others’ expectations and focus on what you really care about. What are the things that matter to you? For example, if you’re sacrificing your time to maintain a spotless household, is this truly important to you? Break away from the shackles of people’s expectations, determine and focus on your priorities and release yourself from unnecessary self-imposed pressure.
I’ve always wanted to get a degree in Business Administration like my other friends. Now that my kids are in school, I have the time to finally do this. Yet, I don’t feel motivated or happy doing this even though it has always been my dream. Do I push myself to do it?
What does success mean to you? Create your list of priorities that fits with your own life. Whatever is a priority for your friends doesn’t have to be your priority. Also, what are the things that matter to you right now? The dreams you had 10 years ago don’t have to be the dreams you still have right now.
I have my calendar in front of me. Where do I start and what do I schedule first?
Your priorities should be able to guide you. Start with scheduling your sleep, chores and cooking, time for your kids and your husband. Set aside your work hours as well. Use the remaining time to schedule your other priorities like business and don’t forget to schedule some breaks. Be prepared for unexpected happenings, like a sick child or an accident, in advance.
Do I need to make time for self-care? How can I do this?
Yes. Contrary to what some people may think, self-care doesn’t have to take too much time. You could listen to a lecture or an audiobook while going for a walk. Make a list of what makes you happy. When you have free time, you can use this list. Even a short nap or a cup of tea can uplift you. To make time for self-care, delete the social media apps from your phone. And let go of whatever else you can let go of. If you can afford it, hire a VA to finish minor tasks for you.
What are some of the problems you face when you try to prioritise effectively, please comment below. 🙂
