Hi, I’m Janese! I’m a student at Syracuse University and have been an intern for Jeff Rogers for the past several months now, and let me tell you, it’s been nothing short of exciting! I’ve gotten the chance to delve into topics like engagement, blindspots, learn about all the leadership development series offerings, and above all, be super hands-on with the JRCI team!
Although this is different from the Business Tip Tuesdays that you've come to expect each week, today’s article (written by me!) is still aimed to share a valuable perspective of what I've been able to learn from the Jeff Rogers Coach team about prioritization!
A wise man once said, “If everything is a priority, nothing is.”
Actually it was Jeff Rogers that said this to me, about 2 weeks into my internship....
And, it kept resurfacing.. this idea that certain items should take precedence over the others. The decision to prioritize work over school, or vice versa? The decision to take a self care day rather than getting a head-start on next week's deliverables.
But how are decisions like this made? It’s tricky, no doubt. This especially holds true as a college student. With a million things to balance; the 5 assignments due, 3 meetings that need attendance, and your best friend's birthday that’s this weekend--it’s hard to manage your time! Yet, the first step in all of this, is to set your priorities. Regardless of what you choose, choose something.
It’s so easy to want to stretch yourself thin to accommodate everyone and accomplish everything. But, what this is really doing is hindering your ability to effectively fulfill each task to its full potential.
“If everything is a priority, nothing is.”
- Jeff Rogers, CPMBC
Without clear priorities, action steps towards personal effectiveness, team engagement, and even strategic vision can not be consistently achieved either. If you're constantly pulled in different directions, you're certainly not focusing on your big overarching goals.
Prioritizing tasks is crucial as it sets everything up whilst ensuring a focus on each task, during its respective time.
When it comes to deciding what should take priority over what, the answer depends completely on you. However, one important factor to consider is effectiveness. How effective will prioritizing certain tasks be for your personal development this week, or in your new managerial role at work? Regardless of situation or context, effectiveness remains a timeless measure.
The next step involves connecting this effectiveness to a specific goal. What are you aiming to achieve by establishing this priority? This question allows for a more targeted approach, determining which actions will yield the highest levels of effectiveness.
I’ve come to realize that this phenomenon of lacking priority is not subject to just college students, it can be experienced by anyone at any stage in their life. Throughout the duration of my time here at Jeff Rogers Executive Business Coach, I’ve seen firsthand the need for prioritization. Without it, most of our monthly goals, marketing deliverables, and overall business endeavors would not have been completed successfully and within the given time frame.
Here at JRCI, our priorities take hold as initiatives. In bi-weekly meetings, we prioritize these initiatives and divide and conquer the work, deciding who will own what initiative, when they need to have it done by, etc. This system is not only feasible, but functional. (Maybe a future Business Tip Tuesday can talk about some of the techniques we use in prioritizing our work.)
The entire plan stems from having one singular goal, one overarching priority! Without it, the rest of the pieces could not fall into place and thus, a series of lackluster events would unfold, all stopping us from achieving our primary objective.
I think it works so well because despite the 100+ things that need attention and need to get done, we focus on one prioritized objective at a time.
With the prevalence of daily demands, it becomes imperative to filter through the "noise" and identify the crucial elements that propel one towards their goals. Identifying priorities is akin to wielding a magnifying glass in the dynamic landscape of tasks and responsibilities.
This process involves a deliberate assessment of each task's impact, aligning them with overarching objectives, and recognizing the inherent value they each contribute. Through this discernment, you can learn to channel time, energy, and resources into endeavors that hold the potential to make a lasting impact and foster productivity; all personally, professionally, and organizationally!
I think Jeff’s take on the various different facets of business can help anyone to begin to learn and decipher prioritization techniques, and guide them towards more clearly defining boundaries.
Distinguishing priorities, therefore, is not merely about task management, but it is a strategic art form that empowers individuals to navigate complexity with clarity and pursue a path of purposeful achievement.
What I’ve come to learn is that there is no right way or wrong way to prioritize, as long as you’re prioritizing what feels most important and beneficial to achieving the goal at hand.
One week’s prioritization may be geared toward self-improvement while the next is strictly for work-productivity. Regardless, I hope you can begin prioritizing tasks that are crucial for whatever segment of life you are focusing on. If you can stay focused on your priorities, you will see results!
I bet I can!
-Janese