There is a quote by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe that reads “Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.” It’s a reminder that we must prioritize effectively in our lives if we want to accomplish our goals…as well as keep our sanity.
I’ll use a real-life example that happened to me recently. I had a goal to blog once a week this year. However, I’ve been in the thick of editing and other publishing activities for the Amped Up trilogy (exciting updates on that soon), and I found myself pressed for time. I enjoy blogging—it’s a chance to connect with people by sharing writing advice, life learnings, inspirational thoughts, and book updates—but it comes second to writing novels for me. Different seasons call for different priorities, and I had to set aside my blogging goal for a couple of months to make additional space for the most important work and ensure I didn’t sacrifice time with my family, workouts, mental breaks, or sleep in the process. It was a conscious choice, and one I would make again in a heartbeat under similar circumstances.
In The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, the third habit is about putting first things first. It involves organizing and executing on priorities. It requires understanding that you’re always saying no to something. It recognizes that the enemy of “best” is often “good” when allocating your time. And it’s an important habit to implement if you want to be successful long-term.
Usually, I can juggle everything I’ve chosen to take on, which is why you’ll see me pick up blogging with consistency again—at least for this season of my life. However, when you’re feeling overwhelmed, it can also be a good time to evaluate the balls you have in the air and ask yourself if you really need to juggle so many. And if you do, then is each one the right size and getting the right focus that aligns with its priority.
I encourage you to stop for a minute and consider your life right now. Are you putting first things first? Or are the most important things taking a backburner to other matters? You have the control to decide what you do each day and in each moment, so exercise it and ensure you’re living out your highest priorities.