The Key to Achieving Your Goals: Priorities > Time

If you want to work your way through this concept, I’ve created a short workbook for you.

You can download it at this link.

In a world obsessed with getting more done in less time, the true path to reaching your goals lies not in how we manage our email inbox or to-do lists but in the daily practice of prioritizing what truly matters.

The couch that we have in our living room is battered and beaten. It has been used and abused for more than a decade of young kids racing through our house.

It does not look good.

Recently Judith and I had a chat about whether or not to replace the couch and let’s be clear - it needs to be replaced.

We decided to keep the couch.

The reason why is that we decided a long time ago to prioritize experiences over things. If we keep the couch, we can go away to the mountains (my happy place) over March break.

For us (no judgement – everyone is different) the experience of going away is more important than having a new piece of furniture.

This got me thinking about how we manage our priorities in our lives and how often we are not able to stay on the path to achieving our goals because of how time - or lack thereof - gets in the way.

This is why priority management is so key. It’s also why I want us to practice supporting our priorities vs managing our time.

Bruce Bowser and I explored the concepts of priority management versus time management are explored in "The Focus Effect" book:

• Time Management is often described as living by your calendar. It involves organizing your day around a schedule, trying to fit in as many tasks as possible within the allocated time. The emphasis is on efficiency, attempting to do more in less time, often without considering the importance or impact of each task.

• Priority Management, on the other hand, shifts the focus from simply managing time to managing what's most important. It's about identifying and doing the most critical things you need to accomplish every day. Priority management means committing time to what truly matters, allowing individuals and organizations to focus their efforts on high-impact activities rather than just being more efficient at whatever comes up.

Bruce and I suggest that moving from time management to priority management can lead to significant improvements in both personal and professional life. By focusing on priorities, you can ensure that your actions are aligned with your most important goals and objectives.

By managing priorities effectively, you can prevent getting bogged down by less important tasks and can make substantial progress toward achieving your goals.

In essence, priority management is about making intentional choices to focus on what's truly important, leading to more meaningful and productive use of time.

To shift from time management to priority management effectively, consider these five tactics:

1.        Define Your Priorities Clearly: Start by identifying what truly matters to you, both in your personal and professional life. This involves understanding your long-term goals, values, and what you consider success. Break down these overarching objectives into smaller, actionable priorities. By having a clear idea of your priorities, you can make more informed decisions about how to allocate your time each day.

2.        Practice the Eisenhower Box Technique: Utilize the Eisenhower Box (also known as the Urgent-Important Matrix) to categorize tasks based on their urgency and importance. This helps in distinguishing between tasks that require immediate attention (urgent and important), tasks that are important but not urgent (which should be scheduled), tasks that are urgent but not important (which can be delegated), and tasks that are neither urgent nor important (which should be eliminated). This technique aligns with priority management by focusing your efforts on tasks that contribute significantly to your long-term goals.

3.        Set Daily Top 3 Priorities: Each morning, or the night before, decide on the three most important tasks that will contribute the most to your key priorities. By limiting yourself to three, you force yourself to focus on the tasks that will have the most significant impact. This practice ensures that you dedicate your best energy and time to what's truly essential, rather than getting lost in a long list of less important tasks.

4.        Implement Time Blocking for High-Priority Tasks: Schedule blocks of time in your day dedicated exclusively to your top priorities. During these blocks, minimize interruptions and focus solely on the task at hand. This could mean turning off your email notifications, putting your phone on do not disturb, or using a productivity app to limit distractions. Time blocking ensures that you make progress on your priorities by providing dedicated time for deep work.

5.        Learn to Say No Strategically: One of the most powerful skills in shifting from time management to priority management is learning to say no to tasks, requests, and opportunities that do not align with your top priorities. It involves setting boundaries and being selective about where you invest your time and energy. Saying no is not about being unhelpful but about protecting your time for what's truly important. This tactic requires clarity about your priorities and the courage to decline gracefully, ensuring that you remain focused on activities that drive your goals forward.

This quote from Beth Ford, CEO of Land O’Lakes summarizes the idea quite nicely:

“I have a list of priorities that I make for myself. Every day when I get to the office, I write down the top three or four things that I have to really focus on. This way, I know what I want to achieve that day.”

Ready to transform your approach to productivity and achieve your goals with clarity and focus? Embrace priority management as your new strategy. Begin by identifying what truly matters to you, leverage the power of saying no, and make time for reflection and downtime. Each day, prioritize tasks that align with your key objectives and use your energy where it counts the most.

Remember, it's not about having time; it's about making time for what truly matters.