Setting Your Life Priorities

Written by Horng Yuan | Photo by RetroSupply on Unsplash

A priority is defined as something that is very important and must be dealt with before other things.

Every now and then, you may encounter hesitation, procrastination, complexities, and even some chaos in your life. Figuring out what is next may be your struggle, sometimes a big struggle. You may also be confused about which way to go.

Have you thought of setting your life priorities to make your life easier? The truth is, it is hard for you to make decisions when you are struggling to determine what is important to you.

What will you do next?

Where will you go for the evening?

Who will you choose to spend time with?

When you are unsure of your priorities, you will feel torn between two or more people, places, and things. You may have given everything and everyone in your life the all-equal status; they share the same level of importance in your life. No wonder it is tough to decide what to do next.

However, things will be different if you can identify what is most important to you. You will be pleased with the ease of making decisions and the serenity that follows because you know you are doing the right thing. Establishing priorities gives you a clearer focus on how to manage and spend your time. You will experience fulfillment, satisfaction, and greater success when you apportion the bulk of your time doing the most important things with the most important people in your life.


Common Life Priorities

You will agree with this, that the possibilities of priorities are endless. Some common priorities are listed below, in no particular order. The list can be an inspiration to you to figure out your own priorities.

- Family

- Personal appearance

- Academic qualifications

- Work

- Hobbies

- Physical exercise and health

- Food and nutritious eating

- Religious activities

- Friends

- Finances

- Extended family

- Professional recognition

- Alone-time

- Quality time with your children

- Spending time on social media

- Internet gaming

Barry Schwartz in his book The Paradox of Choice notes that choice becomes more burdensome when options proliferate. More choices do not equate more freedom. In fact, facing too many options can be overwhelming; it makes us feel less in control to the extend of paralysed. Since agonising over surplus of possibilities will often lead to bad decisions, Schwartz urges us to evaluate our recent choices so to take charge of our decision making.


An Example of a "Prioritised" List

Evaluating and setting your life priorities means putting the many elements of your life into order. Those that are most important to you are put at the top, and those that are least important, or the time wasters, are removed. Knowing your highest priority on the list is necessary for you to make focused and wise decisions.

Consider the next list; it is prioritised and serves as an example of someone’s priorities in order.

1. Family and quality time with children

2. Alone-time

3. Work

4. Physical exercise and health

5. Food and nutritious eating

6. Religious activities

7. Friends

8. Hobbies


Setting Your Own Priorities

It takes time and effort to come up with your own priorities. But as you take time to reflect on your day-to-day life and determine what is on the top of your list, you will discover that your effort will make your life so much easier. With clear priorities, you will find deciding on how to spend your time and with who to be extremely easy!

Do you know that the exercise of figuring out your priorities might reveal some things that may shock or surprise you? For example, you might realise you are spending most of your time with your friends despite feeling that your family is more important. Or you might have devoted more time for your hobbies instead of physical exercise even though a healthy lifestyle is what you strive for.

Regardless of what you discover that you were not expecting, setting your priorities now will help you keep the important important, the less important less important, and the least important least important. This enables you to focus more fully on what means the most to you. You can experience an enriched and fulfilled life and live more joyfully.

Set your life priorities right today.

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