Symptom Number One: As soon as your day heats up, your priorities are dislodged from their assigned order. Each task has to scramble for a new place. Before long, you are working off of urgency, not overview or efficiency.



Symptom Number Two: You feel out of control. You ask people to bail you out, or you feel people let you down, because you're caught once again with too much to do in too little time.

Symptom Number Three: You lose credibility. People mistrust your plans and your boundaries, because you're constantly revising your priorities, wasting their time and yours.

Fortunately, you can cure this syndrome! Try practicing and perfecting these three tips:

Tip Number One: List each and every task that you need to accomplish.

* Sort these into 2 lists: ongoing tasks and one-time events

* Circle time-limited items in each category. (Those that must be accomplished by a certain date and/or time.)

Tip Number Two: Categorize systematically. Develop a system of prioritizing that remains relevant, even when the pressure mounts.

* Determine which ongoing tasks are most important, and, if needed, how much cooperation is required.

For example, you must file a budget report by the third Tuesday of each month. Since it's involves finance, it is probably a high priority. If you simply need to integrate daily records, this job is a relatively short and straightforward. Therefore, you can schedule it around more complex tasks.

But if you need financial information from six people to do this report, and you don't obtain all the figures until the day before the report is due, this task becomes "time-limited" and therefore a top priority!

Whenever you are dependent on other people for information or material, your task's level of difficulty increases. This is because you may have to take additional steps to get the data you need. And certainly you need to build in time to integrate the information and create a cohesive report.

So, when prioritizing, look for dependencies. Any task that depends on others' cooperation rises in priority.

* Next, examine your short-term or one-time events. What tasks on this list carry the greatest consequences for yourself or others? Mark these as highest priority.

For example, if your child needs a costume in 2 weeks, it is a high priority! If you do not get this done, your child will be the only one in the play without a costume.

Tip Number Three: Reintegrate. After you have set priorities for each task using this system, combine both lists and create your calendar. Now you are ready to communicate your priorities and start accomplishing them!

The more care you take in setting clear priorities, the easier it becomes to mobilize yourself. How can you develop the action steps you need to experience success at prioritizing and finding time?