Productivity Requires Prioritized Clarity

“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule but to schedule your priorities.”  ~Steven Covey

Prioritizing clarity is a crucial first step if you want to increase your productivity and reach your goals! When you have clarity about what your goals are, you have a detailed plan for what needs to be done to complete them and in what timeframe, plus you know why these goals or dreams are truly important to you; you will have a laser focused vision for your journey to success.  

Ask Yourself:

• Do you have a clear vision of your goals and dreams?
• Do you have a plan and know what you need to do daily, weekly, monthly to keep yourself on track?
• Do you stay focused and in action on the priority tasks necessary to achieve success in your personal and professional life?
• Do you know exactly why reaching these goals are important to you?

Having clarity and focus helps you eliminate distractions. Think “bright shiny object syndrome” here. You no longer get distracted by every little thing that comes up because you are so laser focused on your goal that it’s almost as if you have blinders on to the distractions around you. Having this clarity and focus keeps you on track and therefore moving much more consistently towards your destination.

In addition, setting actionable steps and prioritizing what must be done will create a higher likelihood of success. Too often other competing interests or a big list of to-dos can sneak in and become distractions that will keep you from getting the big project needle movers done. Or you may simply use them as an excuse to procrastinate on a task that seems scary or difficult. But if you want to reach your goals, then get clear on what must be done and prioritize it to get done first!

What are you working towards in your personal and professional life? Take some time this week to write out the top three goals and dreams, that you’d like to reach in the next few months. Then write out why they are important to you.  

Note: The why must be a deep, heartfelt why. If it isn’t, then go deeper by asking “why” every time you come up with an answer. Trust me on this one… If you have a deep emotional connection to your why and are very clear about what that is, you’ll be more likely to stay motivated and committed when things get tough because you’ll know the value of why you are pushing on.

Next, take each goal and write out your plan for completion. Make your list of tasks that must be completed for this project and break them down into manageable actions; identifying which are a priority. Be clear about how much time each task might take and the timeline you intend to complete it in. Then prioritize that time in your calendar. And of course, brainstorm on the tools, people, or resources you’ll need. Having a clear plan and being prepared with the tools and resources you need will lay the foundation for successfully completing any project within a given amount of time.

Of course, clarity, planning and preparing are only the beginning! You can’t be productive without prioritizing your actions! But you also won’t be able to take massive actions if you don’t have the energy you need to succeed. More on that next week. For now, make clarity your first priority this week.

Struggling to gain complete clarity about what you want and how to make it a reality in your life? Sometimes it can be difficult to make decisions on big life changes or to fully commit to a goal. But you don't have to go it alone. I would love to help you gain greater clarity! Schedule your KickStart Strategy Session today!