Priorities serve as a mitigant to time wastage. When we set priorities, we are often able to complete the most important tasks when they need doing. Prioritizing equally nips procrastination in the butt. Understanding how procrastination impacts financial independence will be a motivational factor for you to set priorities.
Why We Must Prioritise.
Below are a few reasons why prioritization would be good for us.
1. Foster and Maintain Good Relations.
Just like nurturing plants to ensure that they live long enough and flourish, so must we treat our relationships. Human relations are the most priceless possessions that anyone could have. This relationship could be with your spouse, kids, siblings, schoolmates, boss, colleagues etc. In the case of nurturing the relationship between parent and child, it is recommended to spend 30minutes a day of divided attention with your child. Anyone who is dear to us must feel that they have our full attention when they’re with us. Looking at the phone, sorting out work stuff, making business calls or studying when you should be spending time with your loved ones, is evidence of a prioritization failure.
2. Focus and Dedication To One Thing At a Time.
It is no news to anyone that doing multiple things at the same time leaves room for mistakes and a possible blunder. Setting priorities and booking a time slot to accomplish any particular activity means, focusing on that one thing and executing it really well. For example,a restaurant business owner who fails to prioritize would be impacted in several ways. The impact on the entire supply chain for such a sensitive business will be grave. If raw materials are not ordered in time, food will not be ready either. When this happens, clients will not be able to eat what they want, which will tend to impact sales and revenue. If your revenue falls, your overhead costs will suffer and your ability to grow will be impacted. Whatever needs doing should be number one when need be, and all attentions should be geared towards concluding it.
3. Paying Attention To Important and Not Urgent Stuff.
It is important for you to understand that whatever happens to you is as a result of the decisions you make, not the circumstances you face. Which alludes to the popular quote “when life gives you lemon, make lemonades”.
All the things that are super important to you should never be made to wait for things that don’t. Prioritizing your life, and your personal goals such as gaining financial independence should feedback the way you live your life.
For example, you maybe faced with a situation whereby, you need to chose between attending a job interview or going to siblings wedding. It could be assumed that the wedding is urgent and your job interview is important. Based on what your priorities are, you may have to forgo the being a best man, and attend your Job interview first.
Relatable Examples.
Below are some examples from different scenarios, which explains why there is need for prioritization.
Rocio’s
As humans we only have 24 hours a day to do all the things that we set our minds to do. And because we don’t have the capacity to pause or extend time in order to do everything we would like to, its therefore important to make a list of personal and professional goals. You must note goals that need to be accomplished, prioritise those that are actionable now, and those for later.
The moment you resolve to making that list, you will quickly realise this. A lot of the things on which precious time was spent would be invaluable, and would have been stumbling blocks towards the achievement of your most urgent goals.
For example, Rocio’s top priority is to make her parents proud. To achieve this goal, she’ll have to set gaols in correlation with the things that would make her parents proud. Her list of goals could be things like; passing her exams, graduating with a first class Bachelor’s degree, securing a 6 figure salary job, or starting her own business etc.
After setting these goals, she’d naturally realise that going to night clubs would be a waste of time. Also, keeping bad friends would be a distraction or having a baby could ruin her chances of finishing school.
More so, her priority to make dad and mum proud must therefore align with the goals.
Imma’s
If Imma’s goal is to become a bakery owner, it is likely that her priorities would be around attending catering school, learning how to become an entrepreneur, preparing a formal business plan, checking local regulations about running a bakery from her home or from a commercial location, raising capital for her bakery, designing the outlook for her bakery, finding the right team to work with, all with the aim of becoming CEO of ” Imma’s Bakery”.
Caleb’s
If Caleb’s goal is to keep his family unit whole and to maintain a healthy and strong family Bond, it is unlikely that he will indulge in extra-marital affairs. Anything that takes love points away from his family may break his home.
His priorities will be such that he spends more time with his family, takes his wife out on dates, buys gifts for his wife and kids, go on play dates with his kids and so forth.
Tracy’s
If Tracy’s goal is to have 5As in her GCE A levels in order to get into a University in London, her priorities will be to study twice as hard, attend extra classes if need be, read a variety of books, instead of seeking for relationships with boys, hanging out with friends or indulging in noneducational activities .
Therefore, it is crucial for your priorities to align with your goal in order to achieve what you set out to achieve, and by setting priorities you will be forced to become more disciplined and live a more intentional life.
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