I did the reading and the research for you. Prioritization topped the skill set list of more than 250 expert recommendations about how to manage Overwhelm. Why? Because prioritization is the only way you can stop the mental exhaustion created by constantly having to choose among all of the things (personal and professional) on your Endless List. It’s called cognitive overload and it’s a chief contributor to Overwhelm.
Let’s dive into what the experts recommended and I’ll throw in my take as well….
Limit the List
We’re going to start with the one I think is the biggest bang for the buck if you’re looking for something you can implement right now. I’m not sure why this one didn’t get more mentions across the research because I think this is HUGE. It’s key component of what I share in my workshops. The bottom line is – and I’m sorry if I’m the one breaking this to you – you absolutely can not do everything, all at once, all at the same time.
The research and my experience recommend you focus on Three Things.
Three? Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh..!!!!!! How can I possibly just focus on THREE?
Three. Tres. Toi. 3.
No more than three big initiatives to meet your business goals, no more than three simultaneous projects going on at one time. And your actually weekly/daily Focused ToDo list? Yep. Three things that absolutely, positively have to happen.
But what about all the amazing ideas I have? Where do they go?
In your Opportunity Journal. It’s a dedicated space for capturing all that inspiration so it doesn’t distract you from your priorities.
By the way, I’m put together a whole guide about putting the Three Things into practice. Hit me up here if you want to know when it publishes.
Prioritize Towards Goals
So how do you decide what goes on the limited and Focused List and what goes in the Opportunity Journal? You have to get crystal clear on your business goal(s) and be decisive about the priority projects you’re going to use to achieve them.
If you’ve clearly articulated your goals, then you can evaluate your app plan to see if it is one of the three most important things I can be doing to move me closer to my personal and professional goals this year.
Let’s say you’re thinking about adding TikToks to your social strategy. Is that activity the clearest and best path to your top priority projects like closing the big client or hiring the art director? If you’ve evaluated it against all the other investments of your time and the answer is YES, get those dance moves ready. If the answer is NO, it goes in the Opportunity Journal.
Set Boundaries
The cool thing is that by defining the strategies you’ll use to meet your goals, you will organically set boundaries. Your Three Things become your compass for deciding what to focus on and what to save for later. If taking a meeting or developing a project gets you closer to your goals then “Oh Yeah!”. If not, then “Nope.” (BTW, obviously only “Nope” it in your head or off The List. Always say no to people with gratitude and grace.)
Reevaluate
If you’re using this as a guide to move up the prioritization ladder, you’ll start with Limiting the List by focusing on Three Priority Projects that help you reach your goals. And you’re going to use those priorities to Set Boundaries so you are intentional about what goes on The List and what stays off.
And then every month you’re going to set aside time on your calendar to Reevaluate . Because s%^t happens. And life happens. So when you finally land that Big Fish client, maybe you hit pause on that referral marketing strategy. Or maybe you find a way to delegate.
Delegate
Delegating can be magical for managing overwhelm. So when you’re Reevaluating your list, take some time to consider if there’s anything you can offload. Especially if it’s something that doesn’t play to your strengths. You may be a technical wizard, but writing web copy may not be your jam. No problem. There are experts who do that.
Revisit Your Why
Finally, if you’re really attached to something on The List that’s just not getting done and aggravating your Overwhelm, set aside some time to Revisit Your Why. Dig deep on why you are having trouble relocating “Get on TikTok” to your Opportunity Journal.
Because my closest competitor is doing it?
Not good enough.
Because that last webinar I took said I had to do it to sell stuff?
Not good enough.
Because TikTok is a key channel for reaching my target audience and filling the top of my sales funnel helping me achieve my business goal of selling one additional big project this year?
There it is. TikTok is a go.
MORE MORE MORE:
- Prioritize is Part 2 in my series The 6 Skill Sets and 2 Mindsets You Need to Manage Entrepreneurial Overwhelm
- If you don’t want to add checking this site to The List, subscribe to have me visit you in your inbox.
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