The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities. – Stephen Covey
Most of us, at some point in our lives, feel like we are so busy with our everyday lives that we just don’t have time for the things that really matter. We find ourselves neglecting our diet, our fitness, our mental, emotional, wellbeing, and our loved ones. Often it seems we forget to have fun. Passion and purpose are an important part of our overall wellbeing. Read on to find out more about how prioritising can help.
The Problem – Spinning Plates
Many of us feel that we are spinning too many plates at once. Multi-tasking has become all too common, and often we feel that life has become a long list of tasks that need completing, a list that somehow never gets ticked off.
Do you wish you could experience more time and less pressure? One of the consequences of having a lost list of commitments is that we start to lose sight of our priorities. In order to feel more peaceful and more time rich you need to get your priorities in order!
The Solution – Prioritise your Goals
In the whirlwind of life it can be hard to know what to focus on and it is easy to lose sight of what is really matters to us. How can you make time for what really matters if you have lost sight of what that is? To start to with grab a pen and answer these questions.
1) What things matter to you right now that you would like to change?
Write them down and then number them in terms of importance.
2) What action could you take to move toward your goal?
Make sure your goals are clear and reachable, each one should be:
- Specific (simple, sensible, significant).
- Measurable (meaningful, motivating).
- Achievable (agreed, attainable).
- Relevant (reasonable, realistic and resourced, results-based).
- Time bound (time-based, time limited, time/cost limited, timely, time-sensitive).
3) Cultivate a sense of peace
Trying to figure things out when you are in a state of panic or anxiety is very difficult. Take time in the morning to cultivate a sense of peace, from there think about the day ahead and prioritise your list for the day.
4) Reflect
At the end of each day, reflect on how the day has gone. Are you pleased with how you dealt with things? Are there some areas which need some attention? Take a few minutes at the end of each day to prepare for tomorrow.
5) What obstacles are in your way and how can you overcome them?
Commit to leading a peaceful, less chaotic, more manageable life. Sometimes we all need support in changing our ingrained ways of behaving, if you feel stuckyou may benefit from a life coach to help you move toward your goals.
Good luck in your journey. Remember prioritizing isn’t a one off event, instead priorities change and adapt to your changing circumstances all the time. Setting attainable goals and taking small steps can help you to prioritise what really matters, and achieve your goals.
