"But everything is a priority!"

How often have you looked at your task list and said to yourself "But everything's a priority, how do I decide?"

Maybe they all are, maybe they're not.

Sometimes when you're so overloaded with work or under pressure you end up like a rabbit in the headlights and freeze, not knowing where to start because everything seems like a priority. 

Or you start cherry-picking what 'seems' the most important or easiest to do at the time ... until the next important task arrives and you're back to square one.

The reality can be a little different once you give yourself time to stop and think about it.

Where is the sense of urgency coming from? Things rapidly jump up your list of priorities as soon as there's a deadline looming!

Is it your perception or your perspective? What's a priority for someone else might not be a priority or as important to you, even if it feels like it at the time.

Perhaps you feel you can't let people down, so you're not prepared to let anything drop, so keep adding tasks to the list and as a result the pressure increases and/or your own priorities suffer.

Prioritise your priorities

Start by writing everything down on paper. Yes, paper. Even the act of writing everything down, can help solidify the sense of priority. Using Post-it Notes can be useful for the next step.

Ask these questions to help create a little more clarity about what's really a priority.

• Is task A more important than task B, task B then task C ...? When you compare two tasks side by side, it's easier to see the priority of one over the other rather than against a whole list of priorities.
• What is the impact of doing, not doing this task? Do you need to do this task NOW or can you do it later with minimal impact. If you didn't do it at all - what would the impact be on you, your goals, your colleagues etc.? I'm not saying don't do it, but this helps create a sense of perspective.
• How long will each task take? Is it the 'perceived' length of time that's creating the priority to do the task or putting you off doing it? If a high priority task is only going to take a short amount of time to do - DO IT! Even if it's a lower priority it can clear a log jam - mentally and physically. It's one less task on the list and you can move on to the next.
• Does one task need to be done first? The order and dependency of tasks can help identify their priority.
• If you only had time to do ONE task today - which would it be? This will help to focus in on what's the absolute top priority, not just 'all priorities are equal'.

Once you've created order out of the chaos, your top priorities will become clearer. You're also in a better position to apply the same process as new tasks come in.

If everything is 'always' a priority, what can you do to stop the log jam from forming in the first place?

There's no point trying to stem the flow if it just keeps coming. You end up fighting an uphill battle and it's a waste of your time and energy.

 Do something different and stop making everything a priority.

Need A Fresh Perspective?

Want some support while you work it out? Book time for a quick chat and get a fresh perspective on your goals, priorities and what's holding you back. 

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Your Time really does Make A Difference