Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to come home at the end of the day feeling satisfied, successful and happy? I know that can feel impossible to obtain because many of us feel overwhelmed with all the things we have to do each and every day, but I want to tell you about a system that will help.
When you’re feeling like you’ve always got a lot to do and the list never seems to go away, you may want to consider that your to-do is it is the culprit. It’s great that you’re planning out your days and writing tasks down so you don’t forget, but what happens when you can’t get to all those items?
I’ve created a system that is tried and true and has helped my team and I complete tasks at work and at home. It’s not a to-do list you need to make – it’s the Priority List you need to create for yourself.
I go over this in depth in episode 033 of Productivity Paradox, so listen there for more information. But I want to go over that episode now and review the key points and tips I’ve given.
Your Priority List should replace your to-do list so that you can stay organized, but even more importantly, you’ll be able to work on the things that really matter to you – that push you toward a goal.
I want you to think of a goal you have in mind right now. It could be big or small. It could be for work, like a promotion or to complete a big project with your team. It could be at home, such as remodeling a room, and it could be in your personal life, like taking a class or working out consistently.
Whatever it is, this is what you should use the Important section for your current life goals.
See how different the new Priority List is than just a regular blank page for you to write on? I’ve organized it in our new liveWELL Daily Planner so that you have nine spaces under Important and four spaces under Immediate and Insignificant.
You don’t want these two levels to have more items under them than what’s actually important to you. That’s why many people don’t complete their goals and deadlines… they’re letting other tasks gets in the way.
I wanted to make sure that this system was easy to implement and took no more time than a regular to-do list.
If you’re unsure about creating your own priority list, ask yourself a few questions:
When you have your priorities in mind, it makes it much easier to cut through the noise and clutter. And because there is so much noise and so much clutter, having that priority is like having a lighthouse. It shines bright and you know just where it is you want to go, and this is where the priority list really shines its brightest.