There is a reliable technique I use to manage my priorities. Using this system helps me organize my life.
When I think about my priorities, I imagine a row of balls. I pick up each ball, one at a time, and I label it with a goal or a task I hope to accomplish.
Then I take the ball and evaluate how important it is to my life. Once I have carefully assessed its value, I place the ball in one of three bins.
The first bin is where I place every high-priority task. This bin contains every task or goal that is most important to me.
The second bin is where I place the balls that are labeled with goals I hope to accomplish ‘someday.’ The projects in this bin are not as urgent or important as my high-priority tasks.
The last bin is where I place balls that are ‘delegate or drop’ tasks. This bin is helpful to me because it allows me to remove the tasks that are unimportant so I can focus on my bigger goals.
Once I have sorted each ball into my bins, my life has a comforting sense order. When I am ready to take on a new task, I simply reach into a bin and pull out one ball at a time.
Approaching only one task at a time gives me confidence because I feel capable of accomplishing my goals.
This process has simplified my life. I never lose track of the big picture and I always feel like I am accomplishing the things that are most important to me.
Self-Reflection Questions:
1. Can I identify all of the tasks and goals I currently have in my life?
2. If I examine each task, could I separate it into one of the three bins?
3. Once I list and organize each task, which is the most important to accomplish today?
