Over the past week we’ve been experimenting with setting priorities.

Each morning we discuss or email our top 3 essential priorities for the day so that we can be more focused on what matters and more accountable for achieving results.

Here’s what’s been noticed so far:

• We each always have more than 3!
• If there is one ‘biggie’ on the list everything else falls out the window.
• Some things seem to spill over day after day.
• A lot of things get done which aren’t even on the list!!
• We are still working crazy hours.

Something’s not quite working here!! Do any of these challenges sound familiar? In the interests of achieving more outcomes that matter, let’s fine tune the strategy…

• Set timeframes for each item – once the allotted time is up, its time to move on – finished or not! (This sure makes you think about how realistic your expectations are!)
• Delegate more. Between the PA, Marketing Assistant, and hiring a cleaner, we could be doing a lot less stuff that chews time for little strategic result!
• Put aside one hour a day to do ’10 minute jobs’ – this gets a heap of the essential smaller things done each day.
• Strike a better balance between the strategic and the operational – both matter!
• Include more downtime – we’re not productive when we’re tired!

Do you have any other ideas which really work for you?