You’ll never complete every item on your To Do list. Your list grows quickly, and there are only so many hours in a day.
The secret to living a fulfilled life is to make your time count. Make the best of the time you have by learning to prioritize.
How to Prioritize
I previously wrote about The Power of Planning, and why following your own plan is important. I first make a plan for the week, and then each day create a To Do list for today. I work from my weekly plan and include anything else that comes up for my attention. I prioritize my To Do list using the following 5 categories. These are listed in no particular order.
1. If I don’t do this, there could be dire consequences. Examples: buy gift for daughter’s birthday (tomorrow), file taxes (due today), refill empty birth-control prescription (or postpone date night 🙂 ).
2. I promised someone that I’d do this. If I’ve made an agreement with someone that I’ll get this done, then I want to get it done. Keeping my agreements with myself and others is a big part of my definition of personal integrity and self-esteem. Examples: I said I’d phone you this week, I promised myself I’d go to the gym today, I said I’d do the weekly shop,and I promised all of us that I’d be prepared for the meeting on Wednesday night.
3. If I do this, there may be big benefits. The lottery hucksters tell us, “If you don’t play, you can’t win.” Examples: If the deadline for applying for that perfect job is today, get your application in! Buy your plane tickets by today and get a whopping discount.
4. This is my work. I get paid to score Leadership Development Profiles, so it’s important to me to get them finished and returned on time. Examples: answer emails from prospective clients, arrive promptly for meetings and coaching sessions, follow through with what I say I’ll do (see number 2, above).
5. If I do this, I’ll feel good about myself. For me, this category puts fun into a ho-hum To Do list. Passionate involvement, deeply felt causes, or personal development projects all find a place at the table. Currently, I’m working on unfinished projects, and every time I complete one more, I feel GREAT!! I put two or three of them on my To Do list each week.
What will you achieve this week?
Related Reading
The Power of Planning: If you don’t already have a strong plan, make one now!
Eat that Frog: get the most important things done first
Rewrite your future: what you decide and choose today determines your future
I love that photo, Debby. Spiders have a lot to teach us. We have a golden orb in our garden that puts her web up each night, and isn’t distracted from her task by me pushing a camera in her face and flashing lights at her.
Debby, thank you for this list. It is very helpful. Regarding number 2, I am meticulous about keeping my promises to others, but hopeless at keeping promises to myself. I’m going to resolve to prioritise my own life as well.
Hi Parlance, thanks for coming back to visit my blog. Isn’t it interesting how we sometimes treat ourselves much less lovingly than we would even a stranger?