Priorities for the New Year
At MBS Performance Counseling, we like to take a fresh look at the New Year’s Resolution. We believe our priorities provide us with direction and by focusing on what is important, we narrate our own story moving forward! So, we challenge you to do more of a New Year’s Reorganization this year in place of the resolution.
Living by our priorities
Most resolutions ask you to either start a new habit or quit an old one. Both of these approaches can be extremely difficult as it often takes a complete change of lifestyle to create lasting effects. We instead ask you to simply prioritize your life, through your own definition.
Our New Year’s Reorganization takes a more concrete and tidy approach to change. In just 8 simple steps you can explore, define, organize, and reflect on what matters most to you in life.
Follow these 8 steps!
- List your top 6-7 priorities in life (these should be broad categories like family, friends, or health)
- Rank your priorities in order of most important (#1) to least important (#7)
- Now, cross out #4, #5, #6, and #7
- Embrace your top 3 priorities.
- Track your time for the next week in 30-minute increments
- How many hours per day are spent on Top 3 priorities? Middle 2? Bottom 2?
- How much time is spent on activities outside of your 7 priorities (looking at you social media surfing).
- Restructure your time to represent your top priorities. Go on to #4, #5 etc, only when your top 3 are done.
How does this help us make decisions?
Our priorities often conflict with each other and most of the time we make an impulse decision without much
thought. However, if we rank our priorities ahead of time, we can make our decision much easier when there is conflict. For example, did you rank physical health over friends? Then, when faced with going to the gym or hanging out with friends, you have already made your decision. Get to the gym first since that is the priority, then if there is time, you can meet up with your friends.
Notice how you are not setting a resolution to work out more, which has an empty energy behind it. You are putting to paper what matters most to you. This has more personal authority powering it. Once you state what matters, you are simply restructuring your time to allow for your energy and focus to be in line with your self-defined priorities. With these simple steps you will discover an alignment in your physical, mental and emotional self.
Let your friends help you focus on your priorities!
Share your Top 3 Priorities with us in the comments or on:
- Twitter @counselingmbs
- Facebook @MBScounselingLLC
- Instagram @mbsperformancecounseling
use the hashtag #top3priorities
Do you like this activity? Contact us at [email protected] to schedule an individual or team session to explore more strategies on personal development and personal leadership.
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Ryan Defibaugh, LCPC, NCC, is the owner of MBS Performance Counseling, LLC in Frederick, MD. He works with adolescents and young adults to help them thrive in their athletic, academic, social, and personal lives. Ryan uses his experience as a Division I college coach along with his counseling background in order to empower our youth with skills such as optimism, resilience, grit, and problem-solving abilities.
