Setting Daily Priorities

February may be known as National Time Management month by some. I’m not completely sure of why this started. It could have been means to encourage those who made resolutions but were having difficulty taking the necessary actions to get started. In any event, this is a good time to highlight the importance of not only setting daily priorities but also completing the related tasks in a timely manner.

As I have always been very deadline driven, I immediately start thinking of due dates when setting my priorities. Once the list is set, I then stay laser focused on the tasks that need to be completed and keep checking them off my list. If there’s a big project that I’m working on, I plan ahead, identify all the related tasks, and then block time on my calendar for them in a logical sequence.

While this approach works for me, it doesn’t come as naturally to others. I was working with a client recently who is juggling a number of big projects and needed help setting her daily priorities. In her case, a new project that was further down her list has become a more immediate priority and is shifting her focus. She wasn’t sure how best to manage her time so that this as well as her other priorities were addressed. As we discussed the different projects, the list of what needed to be done was clearer and more complete. By the end of our conversation, my client had one very specific focus for each day for the coming week which would ensure her success. 

What’s your process for setting daily priorities? If you’d like to share, please reach out to me. And if you are interested in additional strategies, check out this other article.