A New Way to Feel Accomplished

Make the Switch from Prioritizing Your Schedule to Scheduling Your Priorities

It happens to the best of us. 

You spend all day putting out fires. 

You feel beholden to a never-ending to do list of other people’s priorities. 

You postpone taking care of yourself until you have the time, but then the time never comes.

Time slips away. Energy depletes. Health fades. 

But what if there were another way? 

In late 2018 I had had enough. I was pulling myself out of a 3 year downward spiral of taking on too much, attending to the needs of everyone but myself, and rapidly declining health. I had worked in a hospital long enough to see the consequences of this way of life. The patients (and staff) played them out everyday. 

I knew I was on the path to autoimmune disease, metabolic syndrome, and depression. 

And I didn’t want that to be my story.

Searching for a way to work smarter and reclaim some energy, I took Project Evo’s Brain Type Assessment and discovered that I was an Alchemist. I bought the corresponding planner.

The planner suggested that I list my top priority for the day with a few subtasks. At first, I listed the stuff I had to do. Other people’s priorities. 

But then I realized that I would never get my health back if I was only doing what other people wanted me to do. 

My list started to change. 

It went from something like…

• Most Important: Finish X’s annual review
  • Sub-Task: Gather productivity data and peer reviews
  • Sub-Task: Write final comments
  • Sub-Task: Schedule meeting time

To…

• Most Important: Leave work on time
  • Sub-Task: Say no or not yet
  • Sub-Task: Document in real time
  • Sub-Task: Minimize distractions

Or…

• Most Important: Listen to my body
  • Sub-Task: Breathe
  • Sub-Task: Take a lunch break
  • Sub-Task: Say no or not yet

Or…

• Most Important: Feel grounded
  • Sub-Task: Go outside
  • Sub-Task: Minimize sugar
  • Sub-Task: Yoga

It took people a little while to adapt to me saying no to them after so many years of always saying yes. We teach people how to treat us, after all. 

But the important stuff still got done and I felt a lot better doing it. As I got healthier, the quality of my work improved too. I became more creative and efficient. I developed boundaries. I felt accomplished in all the right ways.

I have since switched to the Desire Map Planner, because it better fits with this way of prioritizing life. Decide how you want to feel, and then make actions that support that feeling your top priority. 

It is such a refreshing and effective way to live and work. 

Why not give it a try for yourself? 

You can learn more about the Desire Map Planner here.