16 Jan The Importance of Prioritization
One of the most common problems clients face is experiencing high levels of anxiety about decision-making and completing tasks. Life is immensely complex and encompasses a broad spectrum of events that a person has to confront and ultimately make decisions about. The level of uncertainty that comes with daily life can lead a person to experience anxiety and feelings of helplessness if they don’t have the skills to manage it all.
That is why prioritization and locus of control can be such powerful tools. Prioritization refers to determining which tasks/decisions are most important to you. Locus of control refers to one’s understanding that their actions can have a big impact on their experience of life. We call that having an internalized locus of control. Someone with an externalized locus of control believes that their environment controls the outcomes of their life (to put it simply at least!). Practicing prioritization and an internalized locus of control allows a person to shrink their lives down to the present moment and focus on the decisions they have in front of them.
One way to go about doing this is to outsource your brain power. Oftentimes, this means taking the tasks you have spiraling in your mind and writing them down on paper. Once you have clarified these tasks with as many specifics as possible (such as deadlines, and time needed to complete the task), you can organize them according to a few additional factors. The first factor to organize these tasks is the level of urgency, which is usually determined by time restraints. Once that is accomplished, you can begin to assess the tasks by level of difficulty. Some people like to take care of more difficult or time-consuming tasks first, while leaving the easiest ones for later. Either of these methods can work, and you might try both to see which tends to work better for you. Perhaps it depends on the day which method works best! You may also organize tasks by how easy/hard it is for you to do the task, and how pleasant/unpleasant the task is. Finally, if you are still feeling overwhelmed, see what you might be able to drop or do later, even if it breaks the rules. Are teacher appreciation gifts due this week? There’s no rule saying you can;t be a week or two late if you just have too much going on. Challenging assumptions and being flexible can be key skills in tackling a big to do list.
By using these prioritization strategies and taking control of a never-ending to-do list, you can help reduce anxiety and feel back in control of your life. And of course, if the anxiety ever feels too overwhelming you can always seek out professional support.
Written by: Jared Bonnici, MA, Dec 2024
