What Are My Priorities? 3 Steps To Help You Get More Done

How do I know what my priorities are, you ask? Great question. And one that this post aims to help you solve.

Let’s take a look at three steps you can take to:

• Figure out where you are today and where you’d like to be tomorrow 
• Recognize your various priorities along the way 
• And understand which priorities are the actual priority

But before we get into that, it would be helpful to first understand what a “priority” is. 

What is a priority and why does it matter?

A priority is something that you deem to be more important than something else. It is the value you place on a person, project, or task. 

And understanding what your priorities are is incredibly beneficial.

Why?

Because recognizing your priorities allows you to effectively work on the things that matter most, while refusing to work on things that don’t. Understanding and identifying your priorities allows you to create an efficient workflow so you can be as productive each day as possible. 

And while it may seem like binging the first season of that new Netflix series is a priority, in actuality paying the rent so you have somewhere to watch that show is the real priority. 

So remember, the more productive you are, the more forward progress you will make in your life and business. 

Priorities are powerful. 

With that in mind, let’s cover the three steps you can take to uncover your priorities and ensure that each day is more productive than the last. 

My priorities step #1 – Today

Setting priorities is a must. Whether you're working in an office or at home, you need to know how to set priorities. 

And when it comes to uncovering my priorities in life, there’s no better place to start than the beginning. 

That’s where this first step comes in. 

Step #1 in understanding your priorities is to start with today. Look around at your life today and ask yourself what needs improvement or attention in the following areas:

• Work
• Family
• Health
• Relationships
• Finances
• Etc.

For example, do you enjoy your work or does it leave you wanting? Do you feel like you’re at your healthiest or do you need to start exercising more? Or to get even more specific, if you have multiple side hustles or courses, are they performing the way you’d like? Is one more time consuming than the other? 

Hold a mirror up to yourself. Look at who you are within those various categories and determine if you are achieving the things you’d like to. 

My priorities step #2 – Tomorrow 

Once you’ve considered who you are today, the next step in the my-priorities-process is to look at tomorrow. 

Keeping where you are today in mind, look at those same categories above and consider who you would like to be for each of them in the future.

For instance, if you are out of shape, maybe you’d like to see yourself putting on some muscle down the road. Or if your side hustle is moving a little slow, you could envision what a brighter future for it may look like. 

Run through the categories above and determine what ideal future you would like for each. 

And I know, I know. It may not feel like this is relevant to understanding your priorities. Trust me though, it will all come together in the third step. 

For now though, work through each category with the future in mind. Once that’s complete, move onto step three.

My priorities step #3 – Recognize

You’ve now spent some time considering who you are today and who you’d like to see yourself be down the road. Well done! With that, the third and final phase to understanding your priorities is to… recognize. 

Yes, recognize. 

As you reflect on your today and tomorrow, recognize what areas of your life you get the most excited about. 

Is it creating a stronger relationship with your family? Is it publishing your first (or second or third) book? Consider what fills you up with excitement and hope for a better future. 

That, my friend, is your priority. 

So if you discovered that your social media following today for your business is low, but the thought of having a tremendous following on social media excites you like no other, that is your priority. 

Or if you are upset by your health habits today but the thought of running a half marathon later this year excites you, that is what’s important. Go for it!

When you consider who you are today, who you’d like to be tomorrow, and what most excites you, you can clearly see what is the priority and what isn’t. 

Moving forward

Understanding your priorities is incredibly powerful. By doing so, you give yourself the ability to work on things that are truly important to creating the life you desire. 

Through recognizing them, you can create a plan for each day that enables you to be your absolute most productive and effective self in each moment. 

It’s a wonderful thing. 

So don’t underestimate the importance of priorities in life. Instead, use them to guide your workflow and ensure that each day is more productive than the last. 

Oh and if you’re excited about everything? Like you just can’t decide? Then check out the next post on choosing what priorities to actually work on. 

Priorities are important. Use them to your advantage and start doing more with your time than ever before. 

Action Steps

Ready to lock down those priorities? Here’s a recap for your reference:

1. (20 min) Do some introspection. Write down who you are today in relation to your various life categories (financial, health, relationships, etc.). Use a note on your phone and write down your answers. 
2. (20 min) Look at those same categories and consider who you want to be in the future. Write those notes next to your notes from the previous section. 
3. (5 min) Take a look at your notes and choose the one thing that excites you most from your list! That is your priority. Now get to it! 
4. (5 min) Revisit your list every two to three weeks. Continue to check that your priorities are properly aligned with where you want to go in your life and business. 

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