How To Prioritize
I write these blog posts on Thursdays. So, as I type these words, it is a Thursday, specifically Thursday afternoon. I have two things on my to-do list for this afternoon before I need to coach a client. I found myself debating which one I should do first. The issue was my nervousness about being able to get both done. “If I can only do one,” I thought, “which one would be best to get done?” I finally said to myself that my blog is something that I do for my business and the other thing is not. Yes, both are important, but between the two, my business is of higher priority. Therefore, I chose to start with this blog post.
I hear a lot about those with ADHD not being able to prioritize. I don’t buy that. I think we can; we just don’t know how to prioritize. The problem is not prioritization problem. It is a knowledge gap. So, ignore my previous post on prioritization, and let’s dive into how to prioritize.
Set Your Priorities
Set your priorities. This is my most crucial point. If you only take one thing away from this blog post, it should be this point. You cannot prioritize if you do not know what your priorities are. What is most important, and what is not? How to determine this is not easy, but it is necessary. Sit down with a list of your responsibilities and things you know you have to do. Then, rank them in terms of priority. I know what you are thinking. You are thinking, “HOW?!”
The first step in determining what is more important than other things is to listen to your heart. Don’t try to reason this. It might not seem logical to rank Item B over Item A, but if it feels right, that is what you should do. What is most important to you is not something that can be a logic-based decision. It just is. It is a part of who you are.
Act in Accordance with Your Priorities
Whereas above, I asked you to listen to your heart. Now, I ask you to be logical. When you have a set of priorities, you must follow it. Look at your list of priorities. Use that as your guide for when you should do what.
For me, the thing of highest priority is my spiritual life. I do not schedule clients before prayer time. My spiritual life comes before my business. Therefore, I do not let my clients get in the way of my spiritual practices. I enjoy my clients and want to be a support for them, but I make sure my spiritual life comes first.
Emotions
I would be failing you if I told you it was just a two-step problem. Yes, you need to figure out your priorities are and then follow them, but there are times when you just don’t wanna or you are stressed about a low priority item. In these circumstances, you need to manage your emotions; don’t let them manage you. Instead of just listening to your emotions, you need to weigh all factors. Emotions are important, but they are not everything. If your emotions tell you to do so something bad, you probably shouldn’t do it. However, they can be key indicators that something is not in alignment. If your logic and emotions are in conflict, perhaps it is time to re-examine your priorities. Are they truly in the right order?
You are allowed to change your priorities. In fact, it is probably a good idea to look at them often, especially after a major life change. For example, work is high on my priority list right now, but I am not married. However, if I get married and start having kids, then my priorities will have to change.
This Seems too Simple…
If my explanation of prioritization seems too simple, there is a reason for that. It is. My explanation is too simple. It is going to be messy if you try to follow these steps. Does that mean you should ignore everything I have written? No, but it does mean you’ll need to take my words with a grain of salt. Adapt them to how you operate.
If applying these principle to your life gets messy and you feel like you need help, contact me. I am here to help.