Episode Transcript
You Need to Prioritize If You Are Going to Accomplish Your Goals
It Comes Down to Making a Choice
Last week, we talked about goal setting and planning for the future. This is a big undertaking and can feel overwhelming fast.
Where do I start?
How do I know what I should do?
What makes one thing more important than another?
When the to-do list is long, it’s hard to know where to start.
Wouldn’t it be nice if someone would just tell you what to do? Unfortunately, that’s not the way it generally works.
So how do you know what to do first? What makes one thing more important than another?
There are a lot of different factors involved, and they aren’t always the same. Priorities change from day to day or hour to hour. What’s important to one person may not carry the same weight for someone else. And sometimes, what needs to be done now has to wait because something else is already on the calendar.
We all have lists of things to do, whether it’s written down, stored digitally, or stuck inside our heads. What we need is a clear way to determine what to do first. You can only do one thing at a time. It’s up to you to decide what that first next thing will be.
No matter how your to-do is organized, deciding what should be done first can be hard.
Too many times, there are things left on the list that should have been done yesterday. With that kind of pressure, you can’t afford to just flip a coin and hope for the best.
So what makes one thing more important than another?
For me, it comes down to a variety of factors such as core values, deadlines, scheduled meetings, revenue, available time, customer satisfaction, and progress toward goals.
I track these using my calendar, action list, and goal list. It starts with looking at the big picture, breaking it down into smaller pieces, then sorting the pieces and putting them in priority order.
Ultimately, it’s like everything else. If you want to get things done, you have to be intentional and take action. The more you practice this, the better you will get at it.
You can only do one thing at a time. Decide what it will be. Then take the first next step.
A few weeks ago, I shared a list that helps me sort through everything. Here’s that list again:
1. Make a list – You need a place to start. Get everything out of your head and onto paper, a computer, a notebook…anything. Trying to remember it all is a losing battle.
2. Prioritize the list – Once everything is written down, rank each item from 1 (most important) to 5 (least important). It’s not easy, but it gives clarity.
3. Make time for the priorities – Schedule the important things. Estimating how long a task will take is tough, but even a rough plan will help you get further than no plan at all.
4. Aim for complete, not perfect – Perfection is the enemy of complete. As a recovering perfectionist myself, I totally understand. This doesn’t mean that you deliver mediocre work but finish a job instead of chasing perfection. Unfinished work doesn’t help anyone.
5. Be prepared to say “NO” – This is tough for self-employed people. We want to help everyone. But there just isn’t enough time to do everything even if you want to.
6. Use the “5-minute” rule – If something takes less than five minutes, do it. The little wins will add up fast.
7. Focus on the present – Don’t get hung up on past mistakes or overwhelmed by the long list ahead. This is why I have a saying: Learn from the past, look to the future, live in the present.
8. Delegate where you can – You don’t have to carry the whole load yourself. Find qualified people and trust them to help. This is one I still struggle with. Next week, we’ll look dig into this one some more.
Try this: make a list of everything that needs to be done and rank it from 1-5, with 1 being the most important. Which tasks can be done in five minutes or less? Work those small things in where you can. What can be delegated?
If you want to BUILD your best business and life, it’s up to you! You have to choose to do something and take action.
Prioritizing helps you become more productive, and we’re currently working on a planning journal to help with exactly that. More details will be coming soon.
If you would like more information about the planning journal or want help BUILDing your best business and life, schedule a free 30-minute meeting.
