How to find what is important?

How to find what is important?Sometimes in our work and in our life we have autopilot on. Sometimes the autopilot is even controlled by someone else than you. You are inside the process. Constant requests and obligations move you to a direction which is not selected by you.

Productivity is not about working more. It is about working smarter. If you can spot the most important work, you will create a lot visible results. Visible results will bring greater feeling of done.

We should challenge our work, our teams and our organizations.

What is the most important thing you are working with?

Is it really the most important thing you can work with?

If the answer does not sound important, or even worse, is not important the next question would be:

What would be the most important thing you could work with TODAY?

How to find what is important?

I have covered prioritization in my post earlier. I have only three levels of prioritization.

1. Stress

If the task causes you stress. You need to get rid of stress immediately and do the task. Don’t wait.

2. Visibility

Is the task or project you are working with visible?

Does anyone even see what you have done?

Work that is not visible is rarely important.

3. Effect

What is the effect of the task? If your tasks causes something else to happen, Preferably outside your circle, outside your organization, it has meaning. If nothing happens, is it really important?

What will happen if you do it?

Do you get more money? Do you get more customers? Does it do your life or future work easier?

What will happen if you wont do it?

Nothing? You will lose money? You will have more work ahead?

If you come to conclusion that your work has no effect. Then it is not important.

Importance matters. If you have sniper type of focus on your tasks and goals you will make results faster. The problem is that when you start working, you will forget to question the importance.

Photo credit Flickr Valerie Everett 

 

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