I spent my Sunday afternoon earlier this week reading Breaking Busy by Alli Worthington while soaking up some beautiful spring-like weather in my backyard. My 4 year old played outside, my baby was sleeping, and we had all of the windows open in our house to let in some fresh air. There is just something about the fresh, warm air seeping into my home in the early spring that seems to quiet my heart. It was just about the perfect Sunday afternoon.
As I sat there reading, enjoying the breeze I came to the end of the first chapter in which Alli talks about living in your “sweet spot.” I read and re-read the last few chapters trying to meditate and soak up what she meant by our “sweet spot.”
You see, Alli used her iPhone as an example of having a sweet spot when it’s fully charged, plugged in, and has a strong WiFi connection. She discussed that living in her sweet spot meant eating healthy, getting enough sleep, fostering relationships, and spending time with God. This is where I began to put a lot of thought into this idea of a sweet spot.
When we live in our sweet spots, we are putting our priorities first. We are making sure that our best is given to the most important things in our lives. However, sometimes our priorities get out of whack. We spend too much time on things that don’t matter while we let the most important things slide.
If you struggle with putting your priorities first, then these 5 simple tips might help you get your back on track!
1. Make a Top 5 List
Sit down and make a list of the top 5 things in your life. How do you want to spend your time? What things do you enjoy? Who in your life should be at the top of this list?
If your anything like me, the first 2-3 items on your list will probably be pretty easy. However, I struggled a little trying to narrow down the last two. If you find yourself in the same position give yourself the option of adding or removing one of the items. Don’t fill in a space if it’s not really important. Likewise, if there are more things that should be on your list, add them. This is your list and will be a reflection of what you find important in your life.
2. Write Them Down
Once you have decided on what your 5(ish) priorities are, write them down. Put them on a post-it note on your bathroom mirror. Write them on a piece of paper attached to your fridge. Make a backdrop on your phone with a picture of your list. Get them on paper and in front of you often. They definitely need to be visible to you when you find yourself consumed in your time wasters. (For me, that’s as a backdrop on my phone.)
This step is so important. Setting your priorities is one thing. Putting them out there for you to see day in and day out is what will help you to remember how you should be spending your time.
3. Schedule Them First
If you are a planner, then these priorities should be added to your schedule. Don’t let them hide down at the bottom of your daily to-dos. Get them to the top of your list and get them done first thing!
I’m a to-do list maker on a daily basis, so I always try to add in the most important things to the top of my list. I also add a star next to them as a visual reminder that these are the things that I definitely want to accomplish that day. For me, that’s reading my Bible, spending quality time with my kids and husband, making sure my home stays relatively tidy, and living a moderately healthy lifestyle. Yes, this means that I add to my to-do list “play with Caleb” or “workout.” Should these things be second nature? Yes, many of them are. However, I can easily get distracted by other things around me (like a messy kitchen) and slip on my priorities. If they are on my to-do list, then there is a greater chance that I will dedicated my time to them.
4. Avoid Temptations
Figure out what your time wasters are, and avoid them. {You can find out how to do that here!} Maybe you struggle with spending too much time on social media or maybe you have too much clutter in your home that is taking up your time. Whatever your time wasters are, you need to avoid them. Do this by setting yourself up for success. Put your priorities list prominently displayed where you find yourself spending too much time. If something in your home is taking up your time, fix it! If your priorities are that important to you, then it’s even more important to make these changes in your life.
5. Live Them Out
This is the fun part! Once you’ve set yourselves up for success, you get to reap the benefits. By delegating your time to the most important things in your life, you will feel more accomplished and have greater satisfaction. You will no longer be wasting time on things that don’t matter to you. All of us have different priorities.
Also, remember that even though your priorities are different from someone else, doesn’t mean they are bad or wrong. Maybe you enjoy getting your nails done every week. If it’s something you enjoy and something you have the time and money for, make it a priority. If you love to cook and make huge gourmet meals for your family and friends, make it a priority. If you love to do arts and crafts with your kids, make it a priority.
By figuring out our priorities in life, putting them at the top of our to-do lists, and giving them the time and attention they deserve, we are able to live in our sweet spots. It’s a daily struggle to not let the time wasters creep in. They can very quickly and easily take over our time and move our priorities down our to-do list. But if you follow these five steps, you will figure out your priorities and begin to make them important.