Once we feel like we’ve got something figured out, we like to make it a habit. The first time we figure it out, the reward mechanism in our brains triggers a dopamine hit. Sure, the sensation might diminish with time. But it reinforces “good” behavior. Plus, it’s easier to stick with the familiar than to challenge the status quo.
The trouble is that it’s far too easy to get comfortable doing the same things day in and day out without questioning it or looking for other, more efficient ways. You stop looking.
This Sunday, as I was planning for my week, I felt the need to adjust. I saw my life becoming more chaotic, with a higher volume of client work. But I was convinced there was a way to meet the challenge head-on.
I returned to the basics of prioritizing – the parable of the rocks, pebbles, sand, and water. And I put paying projects first. Variable projects second. Growing businesses third.
It’s only Thursday night, and I submit to you that prioritizing made all the difference. The big rocks are largely out of the way. It’s mostly pebbles, sand, and water left.
But it would not have been possible without a willingness to adjust.
