Do you know how to prioritise what’s important for you? Prioritising is a skill that we all need to master, as it affects both our home and work lives. But it’s not always easy knowing how to prioritise effectively, let alone focusing on what’s truly important!
So if you’re wondering how to clarify what’s important to you and then prioritise accordingly, here are some pointers that will help.
Know what’s important for you – at home and work
Whether you’re trying to uncover what’s important for you at work or home, start with the basics. Get clear on your values and beliefs. What are those key standards and convictions that guide you through life? Once you know what they are, you can look at factoring them into your business and professional lives – because it’s not an either-or scenario. Your business goals and your ‘why’ are usually wrapped around your values and beliefs, and you live your life based on them – they’re all a part of you. So you need to uncover them and then find a balance between your work and home life that works for you.
Set aligned goals
If you’re looking to prioritise your workload and time, set goals based on your values and what’s important for you. It doesn’t matter what others think or want for you – if it’s not aligned with you, you’re not going to achieve it. So set aligned goals and find creative ways to keep your goals on track.
Schedule time for what matters
It’s not enough to know what’s important; you also need to set aside dedicated time to work on it. This is the action part of the equation! Block aside time to work on what you find most important and treat that calendar date and time as a sacred, unmovable date with yourself.
Develop habits that support your goals
Develop the right habits to help support you. Simple habits can include:
- Setting aside time to do what matters
- Committing to a specific action
- Breaking each goal into smaller action steps
- Turning off your phone when you’re working
- Having an end of day routine
- Having a start of day routine
- Planning your week out ahead of time
- Weekly accountability calls with your work buddy
- Having a set bedtime routine
- Reading self-help or inspirational books
Manage distractions
Are you letting the little things eat into your time and energy? It’s easy to let distractions interfere with your plans, so learn how to manage them effectively. Create boundaries that protect your time and energy – and learn how to stick to them, even if it initially feels uncomfortable.
Learn how to say no at work and home
This isn’t always an easy one to master, but it is essential if you want to prioritise what’s important to you. So practice saying a definite no to a task you don’t want to commit to. Start saying no to doing it all yourself and look to outsource some of your to-do list to help free up your time. And start saying no to unsuitable clients and those additional courses and webinars you think you might need!
Carry out regular reviews
And finally, take time out to review where you are, where you’re heading and what’s working for you. When you carry out regular reviews, you can reflect on your process and course-correct.
Learning how to prioritise is an essential life skill to master. The above tips will help make it a little easier for you to start and create habits that will better support your prioritising efforts at home and work.
And if you’re looking for additional ways to free up your time and your workload, why not reach out? Let’s chat and see how working with a VA could help give you the additional support and freedom you need to grow your business further – you’ll find our contact information here.