There are five key strategies for priority management that lead to better work-life balance or integration:
Make a Decision Action Plan
If you have to decide the priorities for your tasks and are unsure how to do so, make a list as a benchmark to decide what you want to do first. It’s important to be aware of the different competing priorities that may influence the choices you make.
Mark Your Priorities
Studies have shown that 20% of people are chronic procrastinators and almost 100% are periodic procrastinators. How do you overcome the natural tendency to procrastinate? Schedule projects on your calendar and on Outlook. A study in the British Journal of Health Psychology discovered that 91% of people who create a plan and put it on their calendar are more likely to achieve their goals. These results have been proven time and again in different psychological studies. If you put a project on your calendar, you’re much more likely to actually do it. Start by putting your most important projects for the day on your calendar, such as prospect pipeline development, key account renewals, or a cross-selling opportunity.
Find an Accountability Partner
Next, track your action plan weekly with a friend or colleague. Finding a good accountability partner will almost double your chances of success. Your accountability partner is the person who will keep you committed to doing what it is you said you were going to do.
He or she will encourage you, support you, motivate you, and keep you on track!
Planning actions and tracking them with your accountability partner is a powerful force that will make you far more productive.
Match Passion with Purpose
They relish the opportunity to help their clients deal with risk and uncertainties. It’s this purpose that fuels their passion to serve others.
Matching passion with purpose is an important attribute for priority management.
Build a Weekly Plan
Take ownership of your projects and tasks by setting goals. Review the priorities, then write down your top projects for the week. Next, spend about 20 minutes creating a specific action plan for them.
Before you leave the office each evening, write your plan for the next day, selecting actions from your weekly plan. Make sure to include measurable goals including specific projects to complete, calls to make, messages to send, appointments to schedule, and prospect and client interactions.
Writing down your goals and priorities make them more achievable. In fact, 82% of the top 10% of sales professionals have written goals with weekly priorities.
Click here to download and build your weekly plan!