Before we begin properly please may we get something out of the way? The definition of the word Priority is that it is “the most important thing” and as such you cannot have Priorities. It is not possible to have more than one most important thing. You can’t have more than one tallest person, they are either the tallest or they are not. You can’t have more than one priority, it is either the most important thing or it is not. Now I’ve got that off my chest let us look at how our priority changes through the day and how to effectively get the right priority.
It is obvious that my priority right now is to write this blog and your priority is to read it, but is that the right priority for both of us? Well, in my case I believe so. Writing these blogs is really important to me in many ways and as I sit here I believe that there is no more effective way of moving toward my objective. Once I have finished this blog it will no longer be my priority and I will move on. According to my list, my priority should be work on the new online course which will be appearing here early in 2024 (watch this space) but I might go and watch a YouTube video or check emails. Watching that video or checking those emails will be my priority because that is what I have put first, but it may not be the right choice.
Likewise, writing this blog is my priority but if I suddenly spot water flooding out of the ceiling and the light switches I assure you my priority will change. If I carry on typing then I think most people would say I have got my priority wrong!!
That’s the problem with interruptions and so as I write this my phone is turned off, my email accounts are closed and I don’t have any external stimuli such as the radio or tv on. Even if people get their priority correct it only takes one little ping from that phone, laptop or iPad and their priority immediately changes to the message they have just received.
Ok, so life’s difficult and setting your correct priority even more so. Let’s look at how to get the right priority. In a way it’s just the same as time management The Simplest Time Management System Ever just ask yourself “what is the most important thing I should be doing at this moment?” That’s your correct priority. Then ask “is that what I am doing?” If the answer is “no” then you have the wrong priority. Remember, the most important thing you should be doing at the moment might be watching your favourite tv programme or reading a book or flicking through Instagram. It’s not for anyone else to judge. Sometimes your priority should be to do nothing. Also the most important thing is only your priority if that is what you are doing. Many people live in a state where it is almost always the case that their most important thing an what they are actually doing are different. the most important thing, and hence the right priority might be to go to the doctor to have a problem checked out but if I say I am too busy writing the report then the report is my priority, not my health.
It is always amusing when people say their family or their health is their priority but then they spend 60 hours a week working and another 10 hours a week travelling and so are too tired to spend time with their family or to exercise or eat well, I’m not criticising people who work in this way, I’m just saying that for most of their week work is their priority.
We will never be in a state of always having the right priority but it’s important to know when we don’t. If you find yourself regularly answering no to the question am I doing the most important thing right now? then the time has come for change. Change is difficult, change is often painful but getting to the end of your days on this planet and realising that you have spent most of them doing things that were not your real priority is far, far worse.
It’s the same in business. Are you doing those things that are the most important to move your business forward? If not, your business has the wrong priority and you need to put in place change.
I’s simple but not easy and if you want to know more then please Contact u