Learn the steps to prioritize your week by planning according to your priorities to increase focus.

I’m back with Part THREE of my three-part series on Rocks and Sand.  If you’ve missed Parts One and Two, you can find them at the given links.   Come back and join us when you’ve read those.  You don’t want to feel lost with some of the lingo I’m using today.

Don’t Forget the Sand

Oh sand!  Did you think we forgot about you?

How could we?  You make up a great part of our lives.  We see you.  You are not going away any time soon.  We’ve just decided that you don’t get to come first anymore.

Good.  Better.  Best.

Sand represents all the “other stuff” that is a part of life.  It can be important things to do, it’s just not your top priority.  Sand can represent all the things that other people are always trying to get you to say yes to.  It’s those things that seem like a good idea but just add more business to your day.  All things can fall under the categories of good, better, and best.  Sand can be thought of as a trip to the grocery store unless you view it through the lense of the ‘Mom’ priority.  Takes on a whole new light doesn’t it?

The pandemic of 2020 has been such an example of all the “sand” we’ve had in our lives.  It has built up and built up and felt like stuff that we HAD to do.   I know that taking away so many things from my calendar has helped me to re-prioritize. 

Do You Let Things Seep In?

I’m no dummy, I know things are going to creep back in, filling up every nook and cranny.  My point is, you get to be in charge of what you decide are the rocks, and what is the sand.  Put the rocks in place first and see what sand you want to allow to fill in the rest of your days.

Feel Empowered with your New Skill

Filling out a weekly schedule with this viewpoint makes it feel so much different, and even more important.  When I fill my week with my top priorities first, then fill in with the other stuff, I feel empowered and ready to go at it with a whole new power that wasn’t there before.

Now that you’ve added all your priorities to your calendar, this is where you start adding in the sand.  My sand is usually written in black ink instead of a color.  That just feels right to me.  Do what feels good to you.

Time is a Non-renewable Resource

It’s an amazing feeling to know that you’ve taken charge of your time.  You are the one who gets to decide what you allow to fill the hours of your life.  Time is precious.  You can’t get more of it.  We all get the same 24 hours.  How are you going to spend yours?

Final Thoughts

My last tip is this.

“IF YOU’VE PLANNED ACCORDING TO YOUR PRIORITIES, IT’S NOW YOUR PRIORITY TO STICK TO YOUR PLAN!”

Yours Truly

Now your job is to stick to your plan!  When the things on your calendar are your priorities, it makes it a heck of a lot easier to want to do them.  Ok, maybe that’s a bit strong.  I don’t always want to do what’s on my calendar, but I’ve decided that whenever it’s physically and emotionally possible, I’m sticking to my plan.  That has now become my priority.

It’s about time that we feel more in control of these lives we’re living.  We get to choose how to use our time.  Time is not the boss of us! (anymore)