Work, Life, Growth

As I journey through my to-do list and schedule it can be easy for my life feels like it is just organized chaos. As a wife, mother of young children, business owner, clinician, teacher, and a whole bunch of other things, my focus on time is key. We all have 24 hours in a day and ideally we should sleep for 7 to 9 of those hours, meaning that we have approximately 16 hours to accomplish our daily tasks. Because of this, I have no choice but to schedule and prioritize my time.

My decision not to participate in certain activities is not because I have no desire. Instead, it is because I have to prioritize and understand that saying yes to something, means that I will have to say no to something else. In order to know what gets the “yes” it is essential to know my priorities. This is often where I see so many people make the crucial mistake of over-committing their time which leads to them being over-extended and to burnout.

Do you know your priorities?

Priorities are something that can change based upon your current season and phase. Right now, my main priority is my family and meeting their needs. In order to meet the needs of my family in this season, my husband and I jointly homeschool and chauffeur the kids to activities. We adjust our work schedules to meet this demand and we must constantly communicate in order to make this work.

My next priority is to ensure that I am able to make an impact in the lives of other people with my skill set and knowledge. I have the pleasure of accomplishing this goal in several ways such as patient treatments, mentoring and coaching other physical therapists, serving as a board member for organizations, and teaching. Each of these requires a different level of commitment and involvement, meaning that I must plan effectively to accomplish the needed tasks. It also means that setting boundaries is key to ensure that I do not become overwhelmed and overburdened with tasks.

Finding the balance between priorities can be a challenge, but possible if you are able to establish precedence over the things that require your attention. Yes, there are times when I will need to make a shift within my priorities to meet deadlines, but it is also essential that I plan this into my schedule so that when situations do arise, I am able to effectively pivot and stay true to the course. Knowing and maintaining my priorities makes these adjustments easier as I am able to remember my focus.

When setting my priorities to determine my level of involvement, I like to evaluate if the entity’s missions align with my own core values and mission. If not, then I must respectfully decline and focus on my efforts on things that do. This goes for my professional and personal life. I have declined opportunities, because it just is not the right time or because these opportunities do not align.

Given my busy schedule, I would easily be doing you a huge disservice if I simply ended there with the need to prioritize your time to get tasks accomplished. Prioritizing what you do includes not only finding out what is important to you but it also includes prioritizing time for rest. In my schedule, I will block time to ensure that I have time to rest. Rest can come in many forms, and it is important to explore what forms of rest are most beneficial to you. For me, rest includes going for a run to help clear my mind and to keep my body moving. Other times, it includes me finding a quiet place to read a book or just lay in the hammock for a nap. Whatever you consider rest, make sure this is on your list of priorities.

So here are 3 tips to help you determine priorities:

1. Take some time to reflect on your core values and long-term objectives. What do you want to achieve in different areas of your life, such as career, relationships, personal development, health, and leisure? Understanding your values and goals provides a framework for evaluating tasks and activities. It helps you determine if they align with what truly matters to you.

2. Think about the potential consequences and impact of each task or activity. Ask yourself:
How does this contribute to my long-term goals or well-being?
What would be the repercussions if I don’t do this?
Will this task bring me closer to or further from my objectives?

3. Be willing to periodically reassess and reevaluate to make sure you are still on track with your priorities or to see if you need to adjust your priorities. At times, we become so goal oriented that we actually lose focus of what is truly important. Ensure that you hold yourself accountable to reassess so that your priorities remain true to your values and objectives. Also, know that external accountability can be important during this step as well. So, don’t be afraid to ask for help in this area.