If you’ve never heard of the term priorities mindset, you’re not alone. I hadn’t either. But, when it comes to working more efficiently and feeling less stressed about returning to the office, it’s a good term to familiarise yourself with.
Ahead, Dr John Demartini, international human behaviour expert and founder of the Demartini Institute, breaks down what a priorities mindset is, why it’s so hard to practise it after lockdown and how he recommends you try.
What Is a Priorities Mindset?
Okay, so what exactly is a priorities mindset?
“Each individual lives with and by a unique set of priorities or actions — fingerprint-specific hierarchy of values — that are most important to least important,” says Demartini.
“Every perception, decision and action they take will be based upon whatever they believe in each moment will give the greatest advantages over disadvantages, or greatest benefits over drawbacks.”
“When applied to work, a high priorities mindset is one in which individuals do what is most productive and viable, and delegate all other lower priority actions to qualified others who love doing what needs to be delegated, so they are free to serve their clients and customers most”.
When companies hire engaged employees who stick to their highest priorities and delegate accordingly, they, in turn, are rewarded and lead their competitors, he says.
In a nutshell, a priorities mindset is all about classifying tasks as high priority actions or low priority distractions and then focusing only on the high priority actions and delegating all else.
Why Is It So Hard to Practise a Priorities Mindset After Lockdown?
So, now that we know what a priorities mindset is, let’s look into why it’s so hard to practise after lockdown in particular.
Dr Demartini explains that it’s due to feeling a lack of control.
“If individuals do not take command or self-govern their own perceptions, decisions and actions, other people will take over,” says Demartini.
“Any area of life, they do not empower, others will overpower. They are not victims of circumstances — they are simply not taking command and being empowered. And until they do, they will depreciate their power and leadership position and opportunities in life.”
It takes courage to face life objectively and to get into high priority actions, adds Demartini. Resilience is determined by attitude and actions, he says.
What Are Some Ways We Can Practise a Priorities Mindset?
Before we get into how to practise a priorities mindset, it’s good to know why doing so is so important. “If you don’t fill up your day with high priority actions that inspire you, don’t expect an inspired life,” says Demartini.
“Your day is designed to fill up with low priority actions until you get kicked in the bottom enough to begin acting according to priority. Masters live by priority.”
Demartini identifies seven ways you can start to practise a priorities mindset at work:
- Make a list of every specific action you may take in day — thinking in terms of any repetitive actions over a three month period — not vague generalities or long projects and only specific daily actions.
- Identify how much each of these actions actually produce per hour — some may be substantial and others nothing.
- Identify what level of meaning each action provides on a 1–10 scale — 10 being truly inspiring to do each day and 1 being drudgery.
- Identify how much would it cost to hire and delegate each of these specific actions to someone at the same standard.
- Determine how much actual time that each action actually takes up each day.
- Then determine the final prioritisation of all the action — factoring all of these variables.
- Then delegate slowly but surely the lowest actions then the next highest, then the next highest priority actions until you are freed up of all lower priorities and able to liberate yourself from actions that lead to self-depreciation.
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