The Sacred Art of Prioritization
A couple weeks ago I wrote about presence and how it is the first step in reclaiming time as well as your authentic voice. Today we're going to get practical, using the same wisdom I give my clients and use myself on a routine basis.
Just think what dreams you might be able to accomplish if you had more time!
First step is to get centered in whatever way you've found works best. Or, close your eyes and breathe and ask yourself, courtesy of Eckhart Tolle: how do I know I have hands?
Now, from a place of stillness, go ahead and look at your to-do list.
What on there can you cross off immediately? What on there have you been telling yourself you HAVE to do, but in reality no one has a gun to your head to do it and you don't really want to do it anyway, like learning 18 Mozart cadenzi (unless, of course, that makes you giddy with excitement!)?
Look at what's left. For each item close your eyes and ask yourself: is this a joy, dread, or neutral task? Note your first reaction, as well as how it feels in your body - don't overthink!
Get rid of the dread tasks. Chances are high that you don't actually truly have to do them, at least not all by yourself.
For example, I used to complain EVERY week about having to clean my house. It took so much time, it was never fully done, blah, blah. As I did this exercise more and more I noticed just how much I dreaded cleaning my house and how much I was telling myself I HAD to do it, that no one else possibly could. After some coaching, I realized how false those thoughts were, and I now happily employ a wonderful pair of women to make my house sparkle every month. Every penny is deeply worth it, and I literally cried the first two times they came, because I was so profoundly happy that I didn't have to do it anymore! I let my soul speak and now the free time I have from not cleaning can be spent playing with my daughter or meeting friends or otherwise enjoying my one precious life. More time, more joy. Win, win!
For each neutral task, see if there's a way to make it a bit better... can you play your favorite music while you fold the laundry? Can you light a fabulous candle while you practice and learn new music? Can you buy some fresh ingredients or find a new recipe to liven up your cooking? Get creative!
Finally, start with the joy.
When you do the tasks you enjoy the most first, you gain momentum for the tasks that are less exciting, and you may also find that you enjoy them more.
As a bonus, when you honor your soul by listening to its desires, you let it know that you respect it, and it will reward you with stronger messages. (TWEET THAT!) This will help you create an authentic, passion-filled life.
Who doesn't want that?!
Let me know how this works for you, and if you find yourself getting stuck anywhere by commenting below. I love hearing from you!
