So how many times do we just say “I can’t do it all.” Of course you cannot do it all. It can feel overwhelming to have so much on your plate, all these conflicting priorities and everyone thinking what they need from you is a priority. Sound familiar? Everybody wants everything yesterday. Does that sound familiar too? Here are 3 top career tips for prioritizing. 

Tips for Prioritizing, Putting Your Priorities in Perspective Big Picture 

So, what any person needs from you is their priority. It doesn’t necessarily make it your priority. At one point I reported directly to our company CEO. His direction to the team regarding priorities is “Does it impact EBITDA? which in a nutshell basically means the companys’ earnings. So, your professional life isn’t that simple but still it is a great point. Generally speaking, you are evaluated on certain metrics and you have certain goals you need to achieve. People will always be there to detract you from your priorities if you do not manage it. So, there are the KPIs or metrics and there are the nice to dos. If you have time for some nice to dos, go for it. But always keep your eye on your goals. 

Let’s Focus on the People 

As you know, you can take different paths to get from point A to point B. You can take the direct path or you can take the scenic route. Who has time for the scenic route at work, not most people is my educated guess based on my years as a professional resume writer, recruiter and head of human resources. You may be asking yourself, what is she talking about? Well sometimes for example you do have to take the scenic route. If you are trying to move forward on a particular project and there’s opposition then you need to get your colleagues on board with your direction. There’s some persuading and collaborating that is necessary to move forward. However, in the long run that could very well save you some time. Once you get everyone on board and have the necessary support, you will likely save time because everyone is moving the same direction and you aren’t dealing with so many roadblocks. You will also be viewed as someone with strong leadership which is an important part of moving ahead in your career. 

Learn to Say No

So it is easier said than done to learn to say no. I understand this is the tricky part and yes you may have to say no to your boss from time to time. However, if you say no to your boss, you need to be smart about your approach. You go to your boss, show her or him that you have too much on your plate, make recommendations on what you feel are the priorities and ask for more resources if needed. Sometimes you have to let go of certain things in order to be effective in your position. 

If you are feeling overwhelming, consider these tips for prioritizing. It very well may save you a lot of frustration and lead to a higher level of job satisfaction and performance.