Under New Management: What's the Priority?

Have you ever been faced with the admonition that you need to use your time more wisely? How many times have you found yourself feeling that you are overloaded with tasks and it seems like there is just not enough time in a day to get them all completed? Many of us, plagued with the nagging inability to complete our tasks, have been prescribed the remedy of “time management”. 

If we would just learn how to master the skill of managing our time, then we would not have to face the disappointing results of not accomplishing our tasks. Although the intentions are good, I feel like addressing the subject of time management is a lot like the onslaught of pharmaceutical commercials that I see while watching a show on Hulu. The advertisements for the product seem to address the symptom, but not the root cause and you risk experiencing a myriad of side effects. 

I propose that the issue is not managing your time, it is managing your priorities. Why do I say that? Let’s say that you master managing your time. You have set reminders, created a planner, and blocked off time to accomplish a task. However, all of these actions have now employed you in activities that did not serve in reaching your target objective. 

What good is it that you have allocated your most precious commodity, your time, in something that does not actually provide you any value? No one wants to waste time, but that is exactly what you are doing when you're focusing on managing your time without first prioritizing. I am a proponent of priority management over time management because once you have prioritized, then you can properly allocate your time. 

Focusing on time management before priority management can be compared to planning a wedding before proposing. I am not suggesting that time management is not important, rather that it should be placed in proper sequence to get the most out of it. Prioritizing is determining the order for dealing with something according to its importance.

Can we agree that we want to give our time to what matters most? Prioritizing revolves around value. When we attribute value to something, it is normally based on what it can produce, its potential and how it can benefit us.  Our time is not something that we want to spend on something that is not valuable.

Priority Management is a mindset

The attitude that we have towards priority management will ultimately determine the effectiveness of the outcome. When it is embraced as a mindset, it places us in a proactive posture instead of a reactive posture. This mindset will begin to cultivate a habit of prioritizing which creates a framework or guideline by which you address each situation. You will begin to place more emphasis on what matters most. 

Firefighter or Carpenter?

So, how do you determine what matters most? In regards to this topic, I have heard the retort, “it is easier said than done”. Candidly speaking, we have all faced scenarios where we are bombarded with to-do lists, assignments and tasks that all seem to have the same level of urgency when they are administered to us. In these situations, the reality is this: when everything is deemed to be a priority, then nothing is.

In order to differentiate that which is critical, important and unimportant, ask the simple question…"Do I need a firefighter or a carpenter?" Let me explain. Oftentimes when we are presented with tasks, we approach them with the same level of importance. The truth of the matter is that they do not always hold the same amount of gravity, even though they may be presented that way and it does take some sifting and research to determine what the level of immediacy actually is. In this process, it is imperative to inquire: Is this task..

• CRITICAL - Needs immediate attention

• IMPORTANT - Needs attention and will ultimately have lasting effects if not addressed

• UNIMPORTANT – Does not fit in either category and does not actually have an impact on target objectives

Essentially, is the house burning down? Is it in need of repairs? Or are you considering placing a stand alone jacuzzi on the back porch? (*Hint: The last one adds no value to the house)

3 Benefits of Priority Management

01 | Priority Management redeems time. It capitalizes your time by not subjecting it to frivolous activities that ultimately leave you fatigued and disenchanted. We can be disillusioned by the presence of a checklist and discard the consideration of whether the items on it are actually addressing what is necessary and if it's the best use of our time. There is a degree of euphoria that accompanies checking off the boxes on a completed agenda, but the gratification is accentuated when the checklist consists of tasks that are actually focused on hitting a measurable and targeted objective. 

02 | Priority Management promotes punctuality.  It helps to prevent critical and important items from becoming overdue. Without proper priority management, deadlines can start to feel like a series of missed exits while driving. It is easy to get distracted on a highway of tasks and miss the offramp because so many things are vying for your attention. This can deter you from actually meeting the deadlines required and you can find yourself in a deluge of work created by the failure to manage the priorities effectively. The ramifications of this can be vast as it not only impacts you personally, but those around you who are depending on you to fulfill your part so they are able to fulfill theirs. 

03 | Priority Management prompts precision. It allows for more attention to be given to the quality of tasks, service or products. When your attention can be allocated to the things that matter most instead of being divided by the things that are not as essential, then the quality of what you're focused on will improve. More attention to detail can be offered because you have the time to do so. 

Excelling in the skill of priority management can bolster productivity, improve personal morale and increase quality standards. Make time to put the first things first.