August 24th - Priority means "one"

“She needs to sort out her priorities.”

~ Ron Weasley

Nowadays, most of us think about our priorities, as in multiple. We juggle a variety of tasks and areas of focus, always trying to figure out which one is more important in the moment, and we end up feeling stressed, scattered, and behind.

Up until the 20th century (thanks, capitalism?) priority was singular. The Latin root word prioritas means “first in rank, order, or dignity.” In this way, priority means “one.”

Then we decided more must be better. “Managing multiple priorities” is one of the most common requirements of job postings. Much like “multitasking,” this is a misleading concept. Just like real achievement comes from single-tasking at any given time, real focus comes from picking one singular priority at a time and giving it your full attention.

But with school and work and laundry and sports and friends and sleep, how can you choose? By first managing your very top priority. Once that’s squared away, you’re free to manage the next one.

How does this all fit together?

  August 24th - Priority means "one"

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