The Hidden Benefits of the Daily Prioritization Check-in

04_MakeACommitment

Is it just us, or does the universe just seem to hasten time the second you walk through the office door in the morning? Whew! In a modern world when there is always so much to do and so much to get done, you can easily lose control of your work day!

At ImageThink, we are huge fans of a morning check-in. Which is why recently were were thrilled to see Scott Belsky’s 99U advocating ‘The Hidden Benefits of the Daily Prioritization Check-in’:

Between the tweets, the emails, and the meeting requests, it’s hard to tell the difference between urgent and important. This is why you should set aside some time every day to prioritize. Trust us, your calendar will thank you.

My daily prioritization check-in

I have to remind myself that I’m acting against the great cultural tide of urgency. Prioritizing means not getting sucked into that tide. So I prioritize twice a day, as a ritual. The process for figuring out what is important is really just a simple series of questions:

  1. Do I really have to do this now?
  2. If so, is it “The Most Important Thing?”
  3. If not, where does it fit relative to the other tasks?
  4. Is someone waiting on me for this?
  5. If so, when do they need it?
  6. Does working/not working on this now have long-term consequences that I’m missing?

So is prioritization the solution to present shock? Maybe. Is prioritization a key weapon in reducing stress and staying sane? Absolutely.

We hope you also pulled inspiration from 99U’s wise words. Last year, ImageThink was thrilled to have taken live visual notes of 99U’s innovative and compelling talks.

Check out our gallery, 99U Conference 2013: The Complete Visual Notes from ImageThink, for additional insights, tips, and inspiration to maximize your workday:

[slideshare id=22762140&doc=99ucompletevisualnotes-130610141240-phpapp02]

To learn more about ImageThink’s capabilities in visualizing complex ideas and innovative content, visit our Services page for more information. Or, shoot us an e-mail at info@imagethink.net to discuss how we can picture your big idea!

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