The Big Picture
Most of us are juggling a million tasks and still not making much progress. We all know we should prioritize, but do we really understand what that means? I thought I did—until a recent conversation with my daughter brought that into question.
Why Should You Care?
Time is the great equalizer! While some people squeeze out every drop of productivity, you might have it slipping away every day. Why is that? The late great Dr Stephen Covey said, “The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” Are you really scheduling your priorities?
Lesson from the Back Seat
A few weeks ago, my daughter, who’s in Grade 11, brought home an underwhelming report. Since I was fetching her from school later than usual, I couldn’t help but slip into “parent mode.” I said, “You need to be careful with your priorities.” From the passenger seat, she shot back, “I’m only doing two extracurricular activities a week, it’s not like I’m wasting time!”
That hit home. Here I was; lecturing about prioritizing to a 17 year old, while I had been postponing some important tasks for weeks. If I truly prioritized, what would my day look like?
Key Lessons About Prioritising
Sacrifice the Good for the Great: It’s easy to get bogged down by good things that aren’t essential. Are you quick to reply to every email as it comes in? Are the unscheduled email requests the best use of your time?
Clarity is Key: If your purpose isn’t crystal clear, how can you prioritize? As Lewis Carroll said, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there.” Have you defined your goals in every area of your life— work, family, community?
Live Your Priorities: My daughter had a point when she said, “I’m not doing pointless stuff.” Are you brave enough to only focus on critical stuff and let go other important issues?
Bottom Line
As an adult your challenge is to sift through the good to focus on the great. Are you tackling your top priorities and not sidetracked by other tasks?
Quote:
The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.- Dr Stephen Covey