Setting Priorities for Summer

It’s Never a Bad Time to Plan for Success

At the beginning of the year, we look at our goals. We set resolutions. The spring is a time we associate cleaning, organizing, and getting everything in order. Fall is the back to school—followed quickly by a frenetic last push to wrap up the year. The summertime often gets ignored. The office is a little emptier with people traveling and taking vacations. Everything becomes more casual, and we often set ourselves on autopilot.

However, summer is a good time to plan, set priorities, re-adjust, and work toward finding a balance in life. We want to make room for more—more time for our families, more time to be successful in our jobs, and more time to pursue side projects and hobbies.

But how do we set our priorities to maximize our success?

As always, start with a list!

There are plenty of apps available for keeping and tracking everything you need to do. I’ve always been a fan of good ol’ notepad and pen because it allows me to jot notes in the margins and get a little messy with my brainstorming. But no matter how you do it, you need to get in the habit of making lists to organize your thinking.

Put everything before you, everything that saps your time. The only way you can get control over it is to account for it.

Mark the items that are urgent and/or important.

I tend to use an exclamation mark for the items that are urgent—and I use a star for the items that are important. Some things get a star and an exclamation mark.

If everything on your list is urgent, then you have a problem with project management, and it should be addressed within your organization. You may need to push back on some deadlines, or re-evaluate how you schedule your responsibilities. If everything on your list is important, then you should re-examine your priorities, your workload, or who on your team can help you carry the load.

The urgent/important items on someone’s list can vary greatly, depending on their profession, their role in the company, or even what time of year it is. Sometimes, we’re busy, and there’s just no getting around it. But if you are always jumping from crisis to crisis, you should take a critical look at how everything is structured.

Order the tasks

Arranging the tasks in the order of what should be accomplished first, second, and so on is going to bring some sanity to the madness of your schedule. There is no single correct way to order your tasks. Some people prefer to tackle the urgent/important items first thing in the morning. Other people like to complete one or two smaller tasks first to build some momentum for those larger tasks. However, there are some wrong ways to order your tasks. Do not move your urgent and important items to the end of the day or end of the week. To do so is to become the author of your own misery.

Ideally, the end of the day should be reserved for cleaning up around your work area and preparing for the next day. Even if you’re organizing your routine at home, the last items of the day should be calm and focused on self care.

Be adaptable

In a perfect world, everything fits neatly within our carefully prepared list. But that’s not how things work. You need to be flexible, when the unexpected arrives (as expected). Yes, sometimes, a person needs help with something that is neither urgent nor important. And yet, if it can be accomplished without too much trouble, your assistance can make a world of difference. In turn, they may be more likely to help you out when you’re in a bind.

Know when to say “no” and when to say “yes”

We often stress how important it is to say “no” to things that drain at our time and energy. Many of us have difficulty turning down opportunities, but if we say yes to everything, we’ll have time for nothing. That being said, you need to create some space in your life for the occasional, spontaneous “yes.” Trust your gut. If a great opportunity comes along, it often won’t wait for your life to get in order first. Sometimes, you need to take a leap. Go for it.

[Check out this video on Saladmaster Business Opportunity Reviews.]

We all strive to MAKE ROOM FOR MORE in our life.  What are some of your favorite tips and tricks to get more done during the day? Please share them with us, either on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Make sure to use the #Saladmaster hashtag.
 

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