Prioritizing Effectively

By: Len Stubbs

PRIORITIZING EFFECTIVELY

Len Stubbs
Certified Christian Coach
Real Path Coaching

Prioritizing effectively is at its core based upon the ability to make solid, long-term decisions. Prioritizing effectively cannot exist without time management and time management cannot exist without it. Prioritizing effectively should be viewed as our skill to manage and control ourselves in relationship to day and time. It is setting priorities and taking charge of our long-term goals. It requires us to make the necessary corrections to reduce if not eliminate those habits, practices, and activities that cause us to waste energy, time, and opportunity. It is the willingness and flexibility to experiment with different concepts and ideas enabling the ability to make maximum use of time and decision making ability.

The often-sighted Pareto Rule states that 80% of our routine activities contribute less than 20% to outcome of our desired results. Given the truth in this statement it is imperative that each of us prioritizes our decisions, projects, and tasks in order to achieve more efficiency. Focusing on top priority decisions is the easiest way to improve personal productivity, attain long-term goals, and reach ultimate success.

The skill to prioritize effectively begins with the ability to make long-term decisions on what you desire most in life and then organizing your time and activities to achieve that goal. For this to occur every action you decide upon must involve the most efficient use of your time and effort in achieving those objectives.

If you are at all like me, you know how easy it is to fall into the trap of spending a day attending unexpected interruptions, phone calls, and e-mails. As a result of the time pollution, we miss out on the opportunity to use our day to complete more important tasks, which pay a higher long-term investment.

Prioritizing effectively saves both time and energy. Mastering our prioritizing skills increases our ability to see which tasks are critical for long-term success and allows us the luxury of allowing our attention, energy, and time spent to be more effectively utilized. This process places focus on what is important at the expense of less important activities.

Prioritizing is about making choices of what to do, what not to do, and when to do it. Prioritizing effectively requires the able to recognize what is important long-term and short-term, as well as the ability to identify the difference between critical, urgent, important, nice, and unnecessary.

Here is what the Lord has to say about Prioritizing in His word.

(1) In Luke 10:41-42 - "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

(2) In Matthew 6:31-33 -“So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear? 'For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
(3) In Matthew 6:19 - "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.”

(4) In Luke 12:15 - “Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

(5) In Matthew 5:6 - “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

(6) In Psalms 1:1-2 - “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.”
(7) In Revelation 4:11 - "You are worthy, our Lord and God to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."
(8) In Colossians 1:16 - “For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.”

(9) In Ephesians 4:22-24 - “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

(10) In Colossians 3:9-10 - “Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”

(11) In John 1:1 - “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

So in the end, mastering the skill of prioritizing effectively is a difficult challenge but one that will make a positive difference in your decision making ability. Without the ability to prioritize tasks and schedules most of us will find ourselves feeling overwhelmed, stressed, unhappy, and lacking focus throughout the day. By prioritizing your life you can focus on what is really important and finish the day with a true sense of accomplishment, direction, and victory.

Here are Seven (7) tips to Prioritizing Effectively:

1. PUT GOD FIRST- Christ must be at the center of everything. The Bible teaches us that our one and only priority is to keep Him, His Kingdom, and His righteousness first in everything. His will and our service to Him is our priority.

2. Focus- Be specific about the decisions, goals and objectives which you establish so that you are moving in the direction of something of value and passion to you. Remember that many people commit 110% to climb the ladder of success, only to find that it is leaning against the wrong building.

3. Take a Long Term View- Make decisions in the present that can have the greatest positive impact on your future. Short- term decisions must align themselves with established long-term decisions.

4. Measure Twice and Cut Once - Be sure to take the time to do your work right the first time. The fewer mistakes you make the less time you will waste going back and correcting it.   

5. Keep Lists- what counts is not the quantity of time that you put into a project or decision but rather the amount of time that you spend working on high-priority project or decision. Lists keep you organized.

6. Prioritize and Organized - Understand that the most important factor in setting priorities is your ability to make solid decisions. Prioritizing effectively requires that we get those items with the highest priority accomplished first, affording us to get the greatest ROI from our available time.

7. Plan- Set clear priorities for each area of your life. Remember to always make the decision to choose the activities that will assure you the greatest health, happiness and financial success in the long term. Develop an action plan to help you more effectively set priorities.

Six (6) Questions to better Effective Priority Setting:

1. How would you rate yourself right now, with regard to setting priorities overall? a) Very good, b) Average, c) Needs work. (Why did you give yourself that rating?)

2. How much time, on an average day, do you take to set specific priorities for that day? (Why?)

3. Who, or what, do you feel is most responsible for determining your priorities? (Why?)

4. Do you feel, in general, that you spend the majority of your time doing what you would choose to do, if you could? (Why?)

5. Do you believe, every day, and in the longer-term picture, you have a clear picture of what your real priorities are? (Tell me why you know that.)

6. Do you feel there is anything you would like to do, to manage your priorities in a better way? (What would you like to do?)

Each of us has experienced urgent, unexpected and critical events that threaten to overwhelm established and set priorities for our day and lives. Each and everyday with are confronted with decisions which threaten to redirect our energies. In reaction to these curveballs, we often react by setting plans and priorities in stone that end up being too rigid to respond quickly to changes in daily conditions. On the other hand forging forward with no plans at all is risky, ineffective, and unprofessional. More often than not total flexibility serves only to produce chaos in our day and in our lives.

To successfully deal with the chaos of confusion that is constantly thrust upon us daily each of us should be equipped and trained to create a workable process for prioritizing effectively that has a long term vision, is flexible enough to adapt to inevitable daily challenges, and is stable enough to provide security and direction. Prioritizing effectively in our I need it done now society requires a disciplined approach to each decision, each project, each relationship, each and every day of our life?

Consider these Five (5) Pitfalls to avoid to make a difference in your path to both make more effective decisions and to live a more successful life.

Five (5) Priority Setting Pitfalls to avoid:

1) First Come First Serve - Do not allow yourself to get caught up in the e-mail mentality of setting your priorities simply by responding to things as they happen? If you set your priorities first come, first serve, you are not choosing your priorities; your priorities are really choosing you.

2) Self Delegation- Don’t be fearful to invest the time or money necessary to train someone who can take on some of the lower-priority tasks that you are currently performing?

3) Who’s Hot – Make certain that you are clear with everyone that regardless of the heat of the discussion/request his or her priorities will not become your priority. In all cases, your priorities will remain your priorities.

4) This Won’t Take Long – Always tackle high priority decisions and tasks first. Avoid convincing yourself that you can clear out all the other mess first, as it won’t take that long, and then you can concentrate on the important things.

5) When I Feel Like it – High priority decisions and goals won't always be the easiest or most pleasant tasks on your list, but dig in and tackle them first.

As a final thought on this subject, I would like you to consider that prioritizing effectively saves you both time and energy. In addition, as prioritizing is a decision itself, it puts you on the road to great decision-making. Prioritizing skills demonstrate your ability to see what tasks, or areas of your life are worthy of your attention, energy, and time. Prioritizing is about making decisions on choices of what to do and what not to do. To prioritize effectively, you need to be able to recognize what is important, as well as to see the difference between urgent and important.

PRACTICE: To practice the concept of setting priorities this week, I’d like you to list any and all priorities that raise its head. In your Success Journal, make a list of everything you see as a priority in your life right now – short term and long term. Take some time with this – it’s worth it. You can’t know what you really want – or don’t want, until you write the list.

Let me help you to learn how to prioritize Effectively. Contact me on the web at realpathcoaching.com: email me at mailto:rplcoaching@gmail.comor better yet call me at 843 589-9236

Article Source: http://www.articles.narrowisthepath.com

Please Share and Bookmark this Article