subject: When You Have More Than Three Priorities, You Dont Have Any Priorities. [print this page] When you have more than three priorities, you dont have any priorities, says Jim Collins, author of Good to Great.
What is your response to this quote? I saw right away that the source of some of my periods of overwhelm and lack of productivity was not just that I had too much to do; I had too many priorities. How could I choose from a long list of number ones? I began to seek a solution. I decided to try making one area THE priority and then fit the other things around it. This worked because I felt so energized from getting my number one priority accomplished that I had more energy for the other things. Strangely, more gets done when I have fewer priorities.
I also discovered that the elusive life balance works better when I chunk my priorities. For example, instead of trying to get a little of everything done every day, I pick a priority for the day or the week, or even several months. When I was writing a book recently, I had to make that the priority for several months or it wouldnt have been completed. Once it was finished, I began to focus on a new priority. In the long term, balance does seem to happen.
So heres a challenge for you. Take a look at your priorities. If you have more than three, chances are you dont have any and your life is a jumble of activities. Try making one or two areas your priorities and focus on them alone for a little while. Experiment and see if in fact with fewer priorities, you become more productive.
