PRIORITIES
“You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage to say no to other things… The way you do that is by having a bigger ‘yes’ burning inside you…
The enemy of ‘best’ is often the ‘good’...” - Stephen Covey
Have you ever wondered what you would need to do when multiple tasks and activities come to your life? What should you do? What do we do first?
As we grow and develop our spiritual resilience, we face more challenges, decisions, and actions in a limited amount of time. One way to improve our well-being is to understand the ability to manage our priorities.
Managing one’s priority is defined as a skill where multiple actions are established in the order of importance based on specific criteria[1],[2], which could include:
Technical Profession or Activity (eg. Finance, Engineering, Law, etc.)
Environment or Safety
Family or Well-being
Connection to Well-Being
When priorities are properly organized and its criteria are solid, one’s spiritual well-being improves and one will gain awareness of one’s strengths and weaknesses. Having a sound prioritization skill gives the opportunity to manage and avoid hazardous or negative consequences[3].
Personal Example 1:
Going into university, I was met with multiple deadlines from school, in addition to maintaining my own well-being and maintain my relationship with my family and my girlfriend. I was unsure of what to do until I talked to my counselor and career advisor. They showed me what I needed to do, and in turn, made me realize that I value my relationships more and my academic skills are strong. I also realize my weaknesses that I need to improve in my own hygiene and searching for my own personal happiness. Prioritizing my needs and weaknesses first gave me a sense of balance in my life. Thankfully I did not have severe consequences of which I got low grades, or I broke up with my girlfriend or had a straining relationship with my family.
METHODS OF PRIORITIZATION
To be able to have a solid foundation in managing priorities, there are several methods written by subject matter experts depending on the criteria. It is important to note that there are multiple variations in prioritizing and it can be adjusted once the person is experienced. One excellent method is shown below, which came from a practical work-related perspective[4]:
Capture All tasks on a Master List
Break down tasks by monthly, weekly, daily goals
Separate the urgent from the important with the Eisenhower Matrix
This step comes down to experience (trial and errors). This Matrix is best when you’re unsure of what to do
Use the matrix to determine what to do on a task if it's urgent or important.
Rank your work by its priority using the Ivy Lee Method (or Other Methods)
At the end of each day, write down 6 most important things you need to accomplish tomorrow
Prioritize 6 items in order of importance (See #3)
Approach your list in that manner. At the end of the day, move any unfinished tasks to the next day as the top priorities.
Add additional priorities after the unfinished ones. Repeat the process
There are other methods aside from the Ivy Lee Method, such as the ABCDE Method, or the “Eating the Frog” Method. Please refer to [3] under References for more information.
The Eisenhower Matrix
This matrix is best used in Step #3 if one is unsure whether the tasks are urgent or important.
Urgent Tasks: tasks that need to be completed right away.
Important Tasks: tasks that contribute to one’s long term goals from Step #1. (monthly) [3], [5]
The Best and the Good Priorities
From Stephen Covey’s quote about priorities, in attaining success and developing spiritual resilience, sometimes the enemy of having the “best” priority is the idea that a person is satisfied with having a “good” priority. This can be reflected via Warren Buffet’s 2-List Strategy. Please refer to [6] in References for additional information.
Best methods in managing priorities often come from realizing one’s long term goal. It does not matter how efficient and effective you are each day if you stray away from your true goal.
Personal Example 2:
During my internship at Suncor, I worked with 3 teams, each with multiple, interconnecting tasks. While following the Ivy Lee Method for work priorities, I slowly forgot the long-term goal of my internship: to learn and understand how the working world works and gain skills required in preparation for EIT positions. I didn’t realize this until my supervisor told me that I losing focus on my long term goal. I was just focusing on finishing the task bit-by-bit, without really asking myself the general question: “How is this helping my long term goal?”
REAL-LIFE APPLICATIONS
Managing priorities can become complex or difficult in real-life scenarios. It is important to ask for assistance when these cases arise. Assistance can come from your supervisor, your teacher, your mentor, your parents, or even your friends. It is never too late to ask.
Spiritual resilience requires the courage to ask when you are in need. This opens up your ability to improve your prioritization skill and develop your well-being. It all goes back to the realization of your values, strengths, and weaknesses, which in turn reflect on how you prioritize every activity.
If you are a beginner, it is suggested that you follow a logical prioritization method, with an example method shown above. Once you understand your values, strengths and weaknesses along the way, you can vary your priorities. Do not be afraid to fail. With continuous improvement, you are slowly developing your spiritual resilience, and also get to know more about your true identity.
However, there are some pitfalls that you should be careful when you are managing your priorities:
Sunk Cost Fallacy
“Don’t fix a leaky boat. Just switch vessels” - Jory Mackay
Always remember that as you prioritize, it is important to be flexible and to be able to adapt. Expectations, tasks, and deadlines change at any given time, and you have to be ready.
People have always been susceptible to the “Sunk Cost Fallacy”: a psychological efffect where one feel completted to continue doing a task because one already put time and effort into it. [4]. In real life scenarios, no matter what you spend your time doing, you can never get it back, and finding quick solutions to complete tasks may become ideal.
Personal Example 3:
I once had a family problem regarding who’s doing chores. We had a schedule planned and people responsible for tasks. My sister was prioritized as the next person to wash the dishes. However, she kept insisting she had an urgent task to accomplish. I was also doing an urgent task. Instead of arguing and putting an effort to follow the routine or the plan, I adjusted and just completed the chore, to save time for the both of us.
Conflicting Priorities
“In order to say yes to your priorities, you need to be able to say no to something else”
- Anonymous
Priorities can also become a double-edge sword. Prioritizing a task based on your values, strengths, and weaknesses, also mean sacrificing another type of task. Building your spiritual resilience requires you to understand the consequences of the priorities you decide to complete in your life. [7]
Each conflicting priority scenarios occur in real-life more often than not. Your values depend on the priorities you make, and reflects on the strength of your spiritual resilience. Here are some examples:
Prioritizing family may also mean sacrificing personal development experience.
Focusing more on planning trips with your friends, in the exchange of study time for your final.
Continue playing games instead of doing household chores
LOOKING AHEAD
` “Action expresses priorities”
- Mahatma Gandhi
Priority management is an essential skill to have to develop your well-being, and to further understand your identity. Do not be afraid to fail. There are multiple methods of prioritizing, and be careful of some pitfalls that will occur regarding prioritizing.
At the end, always remember to be realistic about what you prioritize. Based on your values and your developing spiritual resilience, you can become a masterful planner in your life.
REFERENCES
[1] Mosby's Medical, Nursing, and Allied Health Dictionary
[2] Editor’s Page: Priorities in Cardiology
[3] Spiritual Resilience Workbook
[4] https://blog.rescuetime.com/how-to-prioritize/
[5] https://luxafor.com/the-eisenhower-matrix/
[6] https://jamesclear.com/buffett-focus
Suggested Outline:
Brief intro to the topic with definition(s) - use a variety of sources including an online dictionary, Spiritual Resilience booklet, and other websites/books
Expand on the definition by describing the topic in your own words
Find 2 or 3 resources that describe the topic and summarize each resource
End with a concise summary of key points and/or list of practical application steps
List and link all resources you used.
Other Ideas:
Include image(s) as appropriate
Include a short video (<3 minutes preferred) if you find one that’s relevant
Give examples of the topic applied in everyday life
Include a few quotes - e.g. from famous people and/or books you’ve read on the topic
Things to Avoid:
Lengthy paragraphs (more than six sentences). Bullet points are preferred as people tend to gloss over content if it’s too dense.
Going on irrelevant tangents
Describing other inventory topics (many of them are interconnected, so it’s okay to mention them, just don’t go on in detail about them)
PRIORITIES RESEARCH
A. From Spiritual Resilience:
Knowing and continually exploring one’s priorities is a key aspect in spiritual resilience and well-being
B. From Global Soul Wellness and Spirituality Outline
N/A
C. Other Sources
Editor’s Page: Priorities in Cardiology
“Priorities, specifically how precious time is allocated and where our families and work fit in.
This is related to actual priority versus perceived priority
A doctor once said that family was the highest priority. However, many meals were missed, and holidays were spent at the hospital.
Priority conflict: professional responsibility versus family
Resolution: What to do after the realization
“To resolve at this moment and realize that I must emphasize their priority”
Mosby's Medical, Nursing, and Allied Health Dictionary
Priority:
Actions established in order of importance or urgency to the welfare or purposes of the organization, patient, or other person at a given time
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