Prioritize What Matters to Get More Out of Each Day

andrew-neel-cckf4TsHAuw-unsplash

Prioritize What Matters to Get More Out of Each Day

How often do you wish you had a few more hours each day to get everything done? If you’re like many people, you may say, exasperatedly under your breath, “Where did the day go? I just need another hour or two!” The bad news is that it’s impossible to add another hour to the day – we’re stuck with 24 hours (at least here on Earth. If you move to Mars, you’ll get an additional 39 minutes in your day. It’s still not an hour, but it’s a start, right?). Since a colony on Mars is several years off, you’ve got to work with what you’ve got.  Now, before you begin to do the math to slice up your day (“I only really need four hours of sleep,” you may fib to yourself), take a step back and look at everything you think you need to do. It’s time to prioritize! Begin by asking yourself…

What is important?

It’s normal to look at your list and say, “Um… every task important. Hello – that’s why I’m struggling to get it all done.” Each item is on your list for a reason, right? But, take a look at each item individually and assess – is it a priority?

“Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough on what is important.”  -Stephen R. Covey

Let this quote sink in for a second… How often is the day hijacked by a task we deem “urgent”? There are some things that are legitimately urgent. For example, if one of your kids falls ill and you have to pick him up at school or if that leaky pipe in the bathroom suddenly sprouts a deluge of water. You have to drop everything at a moment’s notice to deal with these issues.

However, we often label things that aren’t so urgent as urgent – chores around the house, tasks we’ve put off time and time again, etc. Instead of feeling like we’re taking charge of the day but completing task after task, we may feel as if we’re always putting out fires. And that is a one-way street to Burnout City. 

Are these tasks that are running you ragged really urgent or are they a distraction that keeps you from doing the things you need to do? If they’re causing you to put off working on your business and connecting with your customers, prospects, or distributors every day, it’s time to prioritize your day.

The benefits of prioritizing

There are so many benefits to setting your priorities each day. Here are just a few.

You’ll become more efficient

Getting more done each day is a matter of efficiency. Efficiency optimizes the time and energy you need to get something done. So, instead of wasting time on tasks that take too long or just aren’t important to your priorities and goals, you focus on the tasks that actually matter. This includes connecting with your peeps to check-in and find out how you can help, spending time with loved ones, and doing the activities you need to in order to reach all of your goals, not just those that are business-related. 

You’ll have more energy

Prioritize your day and you’ll honor your natural energy flow. You’re giving your best self to the tasks that matter instead of letting the unimportant tasks drain it away. You’ll notice as you commit to prioritizing your business every day that you have more energy to put toward your business, hobbies, relationships, and more. You’re not too tired to message your best distributors and clients because you’ve set aside time to focus solely on that task. You’re excited to work out or work on your hobbies because the unimportant tasks didn’t zap away your energy. 

You’ll love your life and business even more

All of this renewed energy will make you enjoy your life and everything in it even more. You’ll love working on your business because you feel renewed afterward. After all, you’re not being sidetracked by one ‘fire’ after another. 

How to prioritize every day

Pinpoint your priorities

When you write out and review your to-do list, circle the one or two things you absolutely have to get done each day. This is how you prioritize. Regardless of whether your goals have you reaching for the stars or breaking even, your business should be one of your top priorities. After all, if you don’t make your business a priority, you’re less likely to do what you need to do to make your business a success. 

But, your business isn’t your only priority. Maybe you promised your daughter you’d help her build a rocket for the science fair or your best friend that you’d help them train for the next marathon. These are also priorities that demand your time and attention. The thing is, it’s tough to give our time and attention to the things that truly matter to our hearts and souls when we’re bogged down by the other things that are loudly demanding our attention. By pinpointing your priorities each day, you give yourself permission to focus on those truly important tasks and tell everything else, “I’ll get to you later…”

Success tip: Every day, ask yourself “What is my top priority?”

Make time

Now that you’ve isolated your top one or two priorities, set aside a chunk of time to work on them. This is where your Power Hour comes in. Many network marketers feel overwhelmed and think they have to plug away at their businesses every hour of every day. Not so! All it takes is an hour or less to connect with your people and work on the different aspects of your business. With Teamzy, you’re able to stay organized and up-to-date on all aspects of business, including what your network is up to. 

But, it’s not enough to just block off the time, you’ve got to block distractions as well. If you’re lucky enough to block off an entire hour at once, let those around you know not to bug you for that time unless it’s an actual emergency. However, sometimes you have to break your Power Hour into smaller chunks. This is especially true if you have young children at home or take care of those around you. In this instance, try to set aside 10 or 15  minutes at a time while your children are napping or playing in the other room. 

Success tip: Block off a chunk of time in your calendar each day to focus on your priority tasks.

Review your goals regularly

Now, what does reviewing your goals have to do with your priorities? Chances are they are intertwined. If you’re having trouble pinpointing exactly what to focus on, review what you’re striving for. Think of the goals you created, whether at the beginning of the year or when you completed your last Bootcamp, as your North Star – they’ll guide you through your day. Part of this is helping you decipher your priorities. If you want to build a successful business and achieve lofty financial goals associated with treating your family, you’ll make your business a priority every day. 

This may seem obvious, but it’s amazing how quickly we forget our goals when we’re busy. As our days fill up, it’s easy to lose sight of what truly matters. That’s why it’s so vital to review your goals regularly. Then, you’ll know what you’re striving for and get a surge of motivation to make them a reality.

Success tip: To prioritize, review your goals once a month or more often when your busy to ensure you’re focusing on the right things – your priorities!

Teamzy helps you prioritize to achieve your business goals

Teamzy is more than a CRM; it’s a great tool to help you organize your business, set and track goals, and ensure you stay in the forefront of the minds of your customers, prospects, and distributors. Log in daily to see who to contact and follow up with, as well as review and check your progress toward your goals. If you’re not using Teamzy yet, what are you waiting for? Visit Teamzy.com for more information and to start your free trial. 

 
Eric Johnson

Eric Johnson

Hi. I’m Eric Johnson. I help busy Network Marketers be more successful. I've spent the last 20 years teaching and training relationship marketing and coaching business owners.