“The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” - Stephen Covey
After sitting down with the Values task week, I wanted to share that
Connection 🔗 and
Growth 📈are my Core Values. While both have always been important to me, sitting down with some of the
journaling prompts from last week helped me understand why these Values are at my Core right now.
What I’ve found to be true for myself is that my creativity is sparked through learning, and sharing ideas, knowledge and experiences with others brings me great joy. Whether it is through travel, (constant) consumption of audiobooks and podcasts, professional learning, or the daily humbling adventures in parenting, stretching and growing as a person is woven into the fiber of me.
This week's topic, Defining Priorities, builds on your Core Values and brings more purpose, through intentionality, to your days.
Priorities, defined: Your priorities are the stepping stones that bridge the gap between your values and your daily life . They are the tangible actions you choose to focus on, ensuring you're living in alignment with what truly matters.
Why is this important?
- ⬆️ Goal Achievement: People who align their goals with their values were more likely to achieve them and experience greater well-being.
- ⬇️ Stress: Research shows that when people's daily activities align with their values, they experience less stress and greater job satisfaction.
- ⏰ Improved Time Management: When you prioritize based on your values, you can eliminate activities that drain your energy and focus on what truly matters!
- 🧘♀️ Enhanced Sense of Purpose: Living in alignment with your values creates a deeper sense of meaning and purpose in life.
How do you do it?
On a daily, weekly or monthly basis, you will identify set priorities or actions that you want to take, to stay connected to your Core Values.
Let me use an example from my Core Value of "Connection."
- Daily Priority: Put my phone away during family dinner time, and share our “High, Low and Hope” from the day
- Weekly Priority: Each Tuesday morning, while I drive to work, I will call a long distance friend for our weekly check-in and life update.
- Monthly Priority: Schedule one family outlining or activity focused on having fun (examples: bowling, mini golf, a movie)
By establishing clear, actionable priority steps, you are able to create the conditions that build a life reflecting what's truly important to you.
Your Turn!
- 💭Identify 3-5 priorities that will help you live more fully into your Core Values
- 📆Schedule time in their calendars for these priorities.
… and if you have any Q's about connecting your Priorities / Values to actions, hit reply to this email and ask me anything!
✨ And before you head into the weekend, one last thing! ⤵️
