Manic Mondays: 5 Steps to Start Living by your Priorities

Last week, I got great feedback from 3 Signs that Life Has Gotten Out of Balance. It seems I’m not the only one who feels overwhelmed by life’s craziness.

Today marks the beginning of my first blog series — Manic Mondays. Every Monday we’ll discuss life balance and ways to keep ourselves sane!

If you’re going to keep life in balance, you must know which activities are worth your time and which ones aren’t. Living by your priorities is essential.

Prayerfully follow these steps to start living by your priorities:

1. List Your Priorities – Start by listing your priorities. Write them down in order with a brief description of their importance. This list will become the framework you will use to make decisions about your time.
2. Determine Non-Negotiables – Using your priority list, determine what things you must do daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly to meet your priorities. This is not a wish list of things you’d like to do, but things you must do to meet your obligations and to stay healthy.
3. Evaluate Your Schedule – Evaluate your schedule using your Priority List and Non-Negotiables. When you compare your current schedule with these two lists, necessary changes will emerge. Make plans to adjust your schedule to reduce the time you spend on less important tasks.
4. Make Changes Slowly – If you realize that your schedule needs radical adjustment, make changes slowly. Pick one priority and make incremental adjustments. Don’t try to change your entire schedule at once.
5. Say No without Guilt – This is key! Once you determine what’s most important in your life, stick to it. For example, I would love to have an immaculate home. However, it’s lower on my priority list than spending time with my kids, writing, and working in ministry. Because of time limitations, I’ve made the choice not to have a perfectly kept home. It’s a conscious decision that I’ve made using my priorities. Any time I feel guilty because the laundry is still in baskets or there is dust on the furniture, I remember it was a choice, not a personal failure.

What are your priorities? What changes have you made to keep life in balance?

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