In our daily lives, we often feel like we need to constantly move and achieve more. But the truth is, it's not about doing more; it's about doing what really matters with intention and care.

Life is a never-ending series of responsibilities, and even after completing all the tasks on our list, there will always be more to do. However, it's crucial to manage these responsibilities sustainably. This includes taking regular breaks, staying hydrated, eating nutritious meals, sleeping well, and even finding time to play. Remember, your self-worth and well-being should always come first and should never be sacrificed for the sake of crossing off items on your to-do list.

If you’re trying to balance your professional and personal life, this guide is for you. Let’s dive in!

Deciding Where to Start

Prioritizing is all about valuing your time and energy. The idea is to figure out what's most important and urgent to focus on. Ideally, the most important and urgent thing on your list should also be something you care about and really value. So, when you're deciding where to start, think about what actually matters to you and start there first. Tackling what matters most to you will bring you happiness and get you motivated.

Tried and True Approaches to Prioritizing

Believe it or not, there are three proven approaches to prioritizing tasks. You can use these approaches to make sense of the rest of your to-do list. We owe these methods to Brian Tracy and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Now, you don't have to choose one of these methods, but they are all effective. If you're new to prioritizing, using one of these methods as a guide can be helpful before creating your own approach.

Eisenhower Matrix: The Eisenhower Matrix organizes tasks by urgency and importance so you can effectively prioritize your most important work. How it works: You’ll create a table with four cells to denote the spectrums of urgency (Urgent/Not Urgent) and importance ( Important/Not Important). It should look something like this:

Eat the Frog: While the name suggests eating frogs, don’t take it literally. What this means is that you’ll tackle the most challenging and time-consuming task first. This would most likely be your “highest priority” task, so it’s important, urgent, and has serious consequences if it doesn’t happen. Do that task first, and then you can slot the remaining tasks based on their deadline, impact, or reward.
ABCDE Method: With this method, you assign alphabetical priority levels to your tasks: A (top priority/ non-negotiables), B (high priority, important but not immediate), C (medium priority, nice to-dos), D (low priority, delegate these), and E (no priority, eliminate these).

How We Get It All Done

Okay, now that we know where to start and ways to prioritize everything, let’s put it all together into a sustainable plan that we can stick to and actually complete.

1. Breathe and Reset

First things first, breathe. Doing this will calm you and reset your vibes. Think of it as a fresh start to your new chill life.

2. List it all!

Channel your inner Bethenny Frankel and “Mention it all!” Write down everything that is floating around in your head. List all that calls for your attention. This should include work tasks, personal aspirations, and any other items that are nagging at you. Don't worry about arranging them in any particular order right now. We just need a complete overview of everything you need to accomplish.

3. Prioritize

Using the approaches mentioned earlier, we can prioritize our tasks. These approaches aim to help us decide whether we should do everything on our list ourselves. While we all want to accomplish everything, we must also be realistic and cautious not to exhaust ourselves.

4. Allocate Time and Stick to a Schedule

Next, determine a suitable time to work on the tasks. This is where the rubber meets the road. It's important to stick to the time limit you set for each task and hold yourself accountable. Good time management is key to achieving your goals. I personally love using the Pomodoro Technique, deep focus for 25 minutes, followed by a 5-minute break. This method helps reduce the resistance to getting started and allows you to maintain a high level of focus for extended periods.

5. Focus on one task at a time

I know it’s tempting to multitask, especially when things are busy. However, it’s not as efficient as you think, and you’re not devoting your full energy to each task when you do this. So it leaves you vulnerable to making mistakes, having to repeat work, or burning yourself out. Instead, keep it simple. Do one thing and one thing only. When that is done, move on to the next thing!

6. Embrace Flexibility and Forgiveness

Some days, the plan will hold. Other days, it might crumble. Both are okay. Be gentle with yourself and adjust as needed.

7. Celebrate and Reflect

Regularly look back at what you’ve accomplished and how you’ve navigated challenges. Celebrate your win, big and small!

Congratulations—you now have everything you need to be a prioritization pro! Mastering prioritization takes time, but by following these steps, you can make choices that align with what matters most to you and keep your stress levels low.

Achieve More, Stress Less: How to Prioritize and Make a Sustainable Plan