• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Customer Service
  • Checkout
  • View Cart
MindPerk

MindPerk

Improve - Motivate - Train

Free Shipping!

For US orders over $50
learn more
  • Products
    • Books
    • Audio CDs
    • MP3 Downloads
    • DVD Videos
    • Packages
  • Categories
    • Attitude
    • Communication
    • Customer Service
    • Goals
    • Inspiration
    • Leadership
    • Mind Development
    • Motivation
    • Relationships
    • Sales Training
    • Time Management
  • Authors
    • All Authors
    • Anthony Robbins
    • Brian Tracy
    • Dale Carnegie
    • Dr. Lloyd Glauberman
    • Joel Weldon
    • Og Mandino
    • Patricia Fripp
    • Stephen R. Covey
    • Taylor Hartman Ph.D.
    • Zig Ziglar
    • VIEW ALL AUTHORS
  • Specials
    • Special Discounts
  • Articles
    • Articles
    • One Minute Motivators
    • One Minute Sales Clinic
    • Motivational Quotes
  • Contact

Priorities: Your Life Compass

Bill Mansell

Every time-management seminar that you will attend teaches the importance of prioritizing your tasks. Task A is the most important, so plan to do it first. Task B is second in importance, so do it next, etc. Unfortunately, many of these time-management techniques get you so involved in managing the mundane tasks of life, that this is what we focus on. We are stuck in “the thick of thin things” to quote Dr. Stephen R. Covey.

The truth is, no amount of simple task prioritizing will help you achieve your dreams until you first determine the highest priorities of your life, then get those priorities to find their way into your daily tasks and the daily prioritizing process.

The key to successful life management is to pick your priorities. We all juggle a number of balls in the air at all times. We might call them work, family, health, friends, spirit, or education. And we try to get through life without dropping any of the balls. But, many of us never take the time to truly identify what the important balls are for us, and to decide how much we value each. Until we do this, we can never truly prioritize anything else. Here’s how you do it . . .

1. Write out a brief statement that describes each of the balls that you try to keep in the air. We’ll call them life-priorities. What is it? Why is it important to you? What would you like to accomplish in each area? Be sure to take the time to write this out!! Thinking it through in your mind might be easier, but it loses effectiveness if you do not write it down. Include a brief description of each life-priority, an explanation of why each is important to you, and a list of major objectives that you would like to accomplish for each.

2. Once you have written something about each life-priority, prioritize them. Choose which life-priority is the most important to you, second, third, etc. This is a critical step because, what happens when work and family events collide? If you know where each life-priority stands in relative importance to the others, it will help you to make appropriate decisions in the moment of choice. This doesn’t mean that if you prioritize family over work, for example, you will always prioritize family events over work events. This depends on the relative importance of each task in that category. But, it does give you direction when making these important decisions.

3. Make sure each daily “to do” list includes not just the mundane, urgent tasks that constantly fill our lists. Be sure to add tasks that will help you accomplish a major objective for each life-priority. Make a point of adding at least one important task for each life-priority each week.

4. When planning your daily tasks, use your life-priorities as a compass that gives you direction. Determine which task is most important at any given moment, by measuring them against the priorities that you have written. Then do it!

5. Review your life-priority compass each week to be sure you are on track. Remember, what gets your attention, gets you. If you take the time to review and focus on your highest priorities each week, they will naturally point your life in that direction.

6. Dump the guilt. If you have decided to do something based on your life-priority compass, you have earned the right to stuff the guilt. Many people go through life feeling guilty. When they are at home, they feel guilty about not spending more time at the office. When they are at the office, the feel guilty that they are not at home with their family. Guilt, guilt, guilt. Using a life-priority compass takes away the guilt and leaves you free to use your emotions in more constructive ways.

I challenge you to develop your own life-priority compass that will become a scale by which you can measure everything you do. It will help you achieve more while giving you more peace of mind.

Article Categories: Goals, Time Management

About the Author

Bill Mansell

Bill Mansell is president of MindPerk, Inc., one of the web's largest resources for self improvement and business training. A dynamic speaker and success coach, Bill is the author of a weekly blog titled, One Minute Motivators. Bill helps companies and organizations inspire and motivate their team members to consistently achieve more. His contagious enthusiasm has helped people from all walks of life to reach and exceed their goals.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarVerne Morse says

    March 18, 2011 at 6:08 pm

    Without a healthy state of mind and a cared for body, one can find it difficult to accomplish anything. These two things should be at the top of priorities. VM

    Reply
  2. AvatarMichelle A. says

    March 14, 2011 at 6:07 pm

    “Do the most important thing at any given moment in time!” This is what I try to live by. Great reminder.

    Reply
  3. Avatardave says

    October 24, 2009 at 6:07 pm

    very good idea to stay on track of time management principles

    Reply
  4. AvatarMike Kadivnik says

    August 28, 2009 at 6:06 pm

    Don,
    I thought you might find some value in this article.
    Have a great day.
    Mike

    Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel

sidebar

Blog Sidebar

Shopping Cart

Featured Products

  • Developing a Customer Retention Program - DVD $199.95 $119.97
  • 7 Habits Foundational Principles DVD 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - DVD $29.95 $19.97
  • Creativity & Innovation - DVD $149.95 $89.97
  • ||||||| How to Stay Motivated - audio CD or MP3 package $178.97 – $236.57
  • Project Management - DVD $249.95 $199.95
  • Stress Management for Professionals Stress Management for Professionals - audio CD or MP3 $39.97 – $53.97
  • How to Give Exceptional Customer Service 2000 - DVD $299.95 $179.97
  • Fine Art of Small Talk - audio CDs $17.95 $15.22
  • Asking Questions, Winning Sales - audio CD or MP3 $9.97 – $14.97
  • MindWalking - audio CD or MP3 $27.00
  • Memory Power - audio CD or MP3 $8.97 – $13.47
  • Prospect Management DVD Prospect Management - DVD $99.95 $59.97
  • Organizing Your Life & Getting Rid of Clutter - audio CDs $17.95 $13.47
  • Predictable Results in Unpredictable Times - audio CD or MP3 $9.92 – $9.97
  • Cold Calling Techniques DVD Cold Calling Techniques - DVD $129.95 $85.76

Featured Authors

Anthony Robbins Brian Tracy Dale Carnegie Daniel G. Amen M.D. Deepak Chopra Denis Waitley Dr. Jeffrey Thompson Dr. Laura Schlessinger Dr. Lloyd Glauberman Dr. Phil McGraw Grant Cardone Jack Canfield Jay McGraw Jim Rohn Joel Osteen Joel Weldon Joe Vitale Jose Silva Julie Morgenstern Ken Blanchard Language Learning Marcus Buckingham Mark Hyman M.D. Mark Joyner Martin Seligman Ph.D. Michael Broder Ph.D. Napoleon Hill Norman Vincent Peale Og Mandino Patricia Fripp Rhonda Byrne Richard Carlson Robert G. Allen Robert Kiyosaki Roger Dawson Sean Covey Spencer Johnson M.D. Stephen R. Covey Steve Schiffman Taylor Hartman Ph.D. Thomas J. Stanley Tom Hopkins Tony Alessandra Wayne Dyer Zig Ziglar

Footer

Follow MindPerk

Facebook
Facebook
fb-share-icon
RSS
Twitter
Follow Me
Tweet
YouTube
YouTube
Start Here
Free Newsletter
About Us
Testimonials
Terms of Use
Calculate Shipping
Download Instructions
View Shopping Cart
Return Policy
Privacy & Security

Contact

801-943-3590
Contact@MindPerk.com

MindPerk © 2001-2020 - All Rights Reserved