The Only Way to Be Successful Is to Limit Our Focus to a Few Things

What criteria do you use when prioritising the tasks on your to-do list? Do you just put them in the order you get them? Maybe you pick the ones that seem the most urgent?

Here’s an alternative: do the ones that are the easiest first. Not everything worth doing needs to be difficult!

In this quick dip episode, we talk about the reality of our limits. In a high-stress job, getting everything done in one day is nearly impossible. And that's okay! What's important is putting your focus where you can be most effective. You may have heard of the urgent-important matrix for prioritising, but we're taking it up a notch using the impact-effort matrix. We will teach you how to define the impact you want to create and acknowledge the reality of the effort needed to make that impact.

Stay tuned to this episode if you want to know how prioritising your life might require completely different criteria from what you thought.

Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:

1. Learn why prioritising your tasks based on impact and effort can help you be more effective. 
2. Discover how to direct your focus towards things that are easier to do.
3. Understand that you have limited time and energy. Don't waste them on things that won't make you happy or don't make much of an impact. 

Episode Highlights

[00:30] Know Your Limits so You Can Focus

[03:41] What to Focus On

[05:30] Define Your Impact

[08:30] The Reality of Effort  

[09:48] The Effort Impact Matrix 

[10:57] #1 High Impact and High Effort Tasks

[12:41] #2 High Impact and Low Effort Tasks

[13:18] #3 & #4 Low Impact and High Effort Tasks 

[14:08] Rethink Your Prioritising

Resources

• Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most by Greg McKeown
• Here are a couple of You’re Not a Frog podcast episodes to check out: 
• Episode 106: How to Stop Worrying When There’s a Lot to Worry About with Caroline Walker 
• Episode 129: How to Cope with Trauma on the Frontline with Dr Caroline Walker  
• Episode 153: Think Differently About Your To-Do List
• Episode 156: How to Change Your Life in 12 Minutes Per Week
• THRIVE Weekly Planner

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Connect With Me

Have any questions? Contact Rachel through these platforms:

LinkedIn: @Dr-Rachel-Morris 

Twitter: @DrRachelMorris

Email: hello@youarenotafrog.com

Find out more about our training here.

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