We all know it is important to focus on our priorities. We hear all
the time: "Spend your time on the important things, spend time on
your highest-impact activities, and work smarter not harder." We
know this, but it is becoming ever more difficult to accomplish.
Why? More importantly, what can you do about it?
Well, let's look at what is happening in the workplace. Smartphones
are everywhere, and if you carry one, immediate responses are
expected. Daily demands are exerting pressure on what we need to do
next. On top of that, let's admit it, it sure is easier to reply to
the latest email than write a report, make a sales plan, or have a
difficult conversation.
There is some good news and bad news here. The good news is there
is something you can do to get your focus back on your priorities.
The bad news is that there is no magic bullet. It is a bit like
working out. If you want the positive effects of working out, you
need to do it. If you want the positive effects from making
progress on your priorities, you need to identify them, put a plan
in place, and work on them. Making progress on your priorities does
take work and discipline. However, working on and achieving your
priorities is worth it.
To get your efforts focused on your priorities, there are five
areas in which you need to take action:
- Know what your priorities are. It might sound funny, but many
of us have simply lost focus on what our priorities should be. If
you can't quickly answer what they are, you need to do a little
work. Put your priorities in writing. Nothing helps like writing
them down and sorting them out. Right away, it builds a little
commitment for you. This is also a good spot to talk with your
stakeholders and key people around you. In particular, sync with
your boss on the priorities. It is surprising how often this step
goes undone.
- Allocate your time. Given your priorities, you need to
determine how much effort you should be putting into them. If you
have no targets, it is easy to miss them. You need to figure out
your rough time allocation. For example, if you have different
roles, determine a time split between them. Don't go overboard with
specifying the split. Just use some simple percentages to the
nearest five. This is not meant to be an hour-by-hour assignment of
time. Answer the question, "How much time should I be putting into
X, Y, and Z?" This will become a guide for you.
- Work on them. With your priorities in hand (literally, because
you wrote them down), begin working on them. One of the simplest
ways is for you to make sure that your priorities or parts of them
are on your to-do list. Another is to create time slots to work on
them. An excellent way to do this is through weekly planning. Block
out a week or two in your calendar. Then, make appointments to work
on the priorities. If something else comes up that does need your
attention, reschedule the priority appointment. Don't remove the
appointment - reschedule it. A third technique to make progress on
a priority is to break it down it down into manageable to-dos. Use
the SOS method - small observable steps. Sometimes, people get
stuck and are not able to start on a particular priority because it
is too big. So, lay out some good small steps. For example, if you
need to write a presentation on a given topic, create the file,
make an outline, talk with a peer about the key insights, work the
draft, and so forth.
- Align your efforts. The fourth action area has to do with
aligning your efforts. Every so often, you should compare where you
actually spend your time with your desired allocation. In essence,
check your efforts against your priorities. Over time, by
practicing these five areas, you should start to see an alignment.
If not, look at what is going on and make adjustments.
- Refresh your priorities. Periodically, refresh your priorities.
Once a month is a good time frame to recheck them. There are also
natural times that occur within organizations: planning times,
every quarter, before reviews. The key is to refresh your
priorities regularly so you are spending time on the most important
activities.
By using these five action areas, you can refocus your efforts on
your priorities. Start today by listing out your priorities. Take
action now. Make it a priority!
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Bob Hewes is a senior
partner at Camden Consulting Group, a division of Keystone
Partners and a provider of integrated talent management solutions
for organizational and leadership development. A skilled
strategist, facilitator and coach, he designs and delivers
executive coaching and leadership development services and
management training for Camden's clients. To learn more about
integrated talent management solutions, visit www.camdenconsulting.com.