Prioritization is a critical skill at work and in life. It’s is another common coaching topic with my clients. Our busy lives of work/school obligations, personal goals, family responsibilities, and an endless stream of digital distractions, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. We often are on the treadmill of life and not conscious of the priorities that matter most to us. One step to overcoming the overwhelm and getting things done is knowing what our priorities are and setting them. Priorities at work and in life are so important. It is a resilience skill.
What Does It Mean to Set Priorities?
Setting priorities means determining which tasks, goals, or responsibilities are most important at any given moment combined with our resources of time and effort. It is also understanding the urgency. The key is to determine what truly deserves your time, energy, and attention, and focusing on that. Prioritizing isn’t just about making a to do list and ticking them off when completed. We must ensure what we’re working is aligned with the overall goals and values.
When we mindfully and consciously set priorities, we can be proactive versus reactive to every task, request, and demand on our time. We take control of our time, schedule and life day with intention.
The Importance to Setting Priorities
1. Reduce Stress and Overwhelm
Setting priorities breaks down overwhelming to-do lists and endless sticky notes into smaller manageable tasks. Then we focus on one thing at a time, instead of trying to do everything at once. When we’re able to manage our workload, it can lower our stress and overwhelm. We get a handle on our tasks and can plan how to complete them.
2. Improves Productivity
Setting clear priorities leads to knowing what is the next task do complete and in what order. This can reduce time figuring out what to work on procrastinating. By focusing on high-impact tasks, we can accomplish more in less time and make progress toward our goals. It often can take us from inaction to action getting more things done.
3. Focus on Long-Term Goals
It’s too easy to get sidetracked by minor, urgent tasks that don’t actually help us achieve your bigger goals. We can end the day without getting the things we wanted to done our to do list. When we keep our bigger goals and long-term objectives in mind, we can then set priorities to accomplish those. Keeping our focus and knowing our priorities supports making decisions based on what will accomplish our goals and have the most significant impact versus doing the urgent not important things that can consume our time.
4. Work-Life Balance
When we don’t prioritize, we can feel our work-life balance is off kilter. We find ourselves over working, doing less important tasks, sacrificing personal life and over all well-being. Setting priorities create boundaries that protect time for what matters most, self-care, friends, family, and rest. Life balance improves our mental and physical health, and increases our productivity.
5. Improved Decision-Making
Clearly defined priorities help make decisions with more confidence and easier. You know what is top priority and needs doing. When they align with your goals and values, so you can say "yes" to the right opportunities and "no" to distractions. It also helps with time-management and utilizing resources more effectively.
6. Builds Resilience
When we set our priorities, it is part of our resiliency toolkit. Knowing our priorities builds our resilience. We are better able to deal with that extra task, being asked to do one more thing when we have clear priorities. This is part of being resilient.
First Steps to Setting Priorities
1st Review your goals and values.
Check in with your work life balance. What is most important? What is missing? What feels lacking?
2nd - Gather your to do list, lists and sticky notes.
The idea is to make a comprehensive list of all of the tasks and goals. I find that gathering them and then categorizing them for personal, work, long term and short term works for me. I have two major to do list – personal and business. As a couple Bill and I have an overall to do list for the home and our lives.
In the next article I’ll share more steps for setting priorities and organizing.
Priorities can slip past us as life happens. It’s normal. I encourage you to take a look at yours and mindfully and consciously set them. They are key to having the life you want. Priorities are part of building resilience.
Remember, the journey begins with a single step. Do something towards your goal.
FYI – from last article, thank you for the accountability. I have completed the next chapter of my next memoir. I’m back to writing!
If you or someone you know would like support setting priorities, building resilience, career development, change, or has been knocked down reach out and contact me. I provide a safe place to find courage and live boldly.
Latest Client Wins: “My burnout is gone! Thank you for the tools and resources. I did it!”, “Having you as a coach helps keep me accountable to getting things I want done.”, and “I had that challenging conversation with my boss, it went better than I expected.” Proud of my clients taking action and setting priorities. They help keep me accountable and moving forward!
I have space for 2 additional clients in September. If you or someone you know would like support in your career, taking action, setting priorities, becoming resilient or bouncing back, please contact me. Let’s have a conversation to see how I can be of support.
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Peace, and blessings,
Teresa – Focusing mindfully and consciously on my priorities!
Teresa Q. Bitner, M.Ed., PMP, PCC - Resiliency, Change and Loss Coach
Partnering with those who have been knocked down by life and want to build resiliency and move forward and live a bold life.
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www.boldfulfilledlifecoach.com
Author of:
· Soul Love: How A Dog Taught Me to Breathe Again
· The First Days: Coping with Life after Loss (updated 2nd edition)
· Explorations into the Being and Doing of Coaching: A collection of voices, insights, and wisdom from Austin area coaches
· My Journey as a Widow: A Widow’s First Journal
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