66: Prioritize Your Needs Without Overwhelm

[00:00:01] Ever feel like you set so many goals for yourself and you're juggling so many plates and then all of a sudden they come crashing down around you? Yeah, I've been there. I feel you. But what if I told you there is a way to prioritize things without the overwhelm? And so today in this episode, I'm sharing with you the three piece method, personal, professional, and people.

[00:00:25] And guys, if you've heard this method before, you've probably associated it with business, but it can also work in your personal life as well. And so I'm going to help you and guide you on this journey today. So grab your coffee or your favorite beverage and let's dive in. If this is your first time tuning in, welcome to Work It, Live It, Own It.

[00:00:49] And this is the podcast and the place to be if you're looking to master the art of thriving in your life and career. I'm your hostess, SaCola Lehr, your work-life harmony strategist. So without further ado, let's break this episode down for you today. So we're going to talk about how overwhelm is the effect of setting too many goals. We're going to talk about the three piece method and how to prioritize without the overwhelm.

[00:01:18] And I'm going to share with you a story to take away and learning how to pivot when life really happens and sometimes takes us on a detour. So let's talk about the January energy. You know, when you're hyped up on New Year's resolutions, you're writing millions of goals down like this is the year. I'm going to start focusing on myself, mindfulness. I'm going to double my income.

[00:01:48] I'm going to learn how to bake and, oh yeah, spend more time with my family. And by February, you're starting to look at your list like, what was I thinking of? Listen, I've been there. One year, I set at least, I would say, 10 goals for myself. Yeah, 10. And guess what? By March, I was so overwhelmed. I didn't make progress on any of them.

[00:02:17] And that's when I realized things had to change. So what is the three piece method? If you've never heard it before, here's the thing. Not all goals are created equal. And this is where the three piece method can come in. It's like dividing your goals into three buckets, personal, professional, and people. So let's break these three piece down with some examples for you. Personal goals. Let's start with that.

[00:02:48] These are all about you. And maybe you want to start running again or you want to pick up that guitar that's been collecting dust in the corner. For me, one year, it was to start journaling. And guys, I've talked about this before in another episode.

[00:03:05] I have an issue with journaling and getting my thoughts out because it's something that happened and triggered me in my childhood where I did not want to write my thoughts out and down for other people to happen, you know, by happenstance, come across my journal and read it. So I had this mental block around journaling. And so then when I started to do, I said, look, I don't need to write stories down.

[00:03:34] I just needed to start with five minutes before bedtime. And it became my go-to way to clear my head before I laid down and went to sleep, which resulted into better sleep patterns and habits. Next is professional goals. This is where your business or career fits in.

[00:03:57] Think of goals like hitting a specific revenue target, launching a new service, or building your social media presence. You know, a friend of mine set a goal to land one high-profile client by the end of quarter one. And that focus changed her entire year just by setting that one professional goal. Now, people goals. Why people goals?

[00:04:26] Well, because relationships matter, right? We could say unless you are one of those people who is an absolute recluse or a hermit and you love that and you thrive on that, and that's the way you choose to live your life, relationships matter. So whether it's reconnecting with an old friend, planning your date nights, or calling your parents once a week,

[00:04:53] these goals remind us that life is more than to-do list. For me, it is as simple as scheduling Sunday family dinners. And listen, when my husband and I first got married, I grew up in a household or with a family that loves to cook on Sundays, right? You cook that big meal. And guys, I'm a Southern girl. I grew up in the South.

[00:05:19] So having those Sunday dinners, family dinners, was how I grew up. Now, my husband was different. They had Sunday family dinners, but his mom was a stay-at-home mom, so she cooked throughout the week. And Sunday was her day of rest. And so that's when they would go out to restaurants and eat. So we had to compromise. And I had to say, hey, some Sundays I want to stay home.

[00:05:49] I want to cook a home cook meal for the family. And then some Sundays we would go out to eat. So we juggled that. We compromised on that. And listen, guys, let me tell you something. I'm not telling you that you got to cook on Sundays. That is not what I'm saying. It does not have to be fancy. You can order pizza half the time if you want to. The focus is on creating memories. So that is the three-piece method.

[00:06:18] Think of this as three buckets that you need to keep filled. Your personal goals, your professional goals, and your people goals. Okay? Now, let's talk about how to prioritize without overwhelm. Now that you've got the categories of your personal, professional, and people, let's talk about how to actually tackle these goals without feeling like you're drowning.

[00:06:46] So step one, I want you to start small. Don't try to do everything at once. Pick one goal from each category to focus on for the next 30 days. So, for example, personal time. You want to take a walk for 15 minutes a day? Clear your head? Even take a break at work and get that walk in? Sure. Do it. You want to do it before or after work? Whatever you choose. Professional.

[00:07:14] Write a weekly blog for your business. Or write a personal blog. If you want to do that once a week. People, call one friend whom you haven't spoken to in months. Just reach out. Or even send them a letter. And guys, I know what you're saying. You're probably like, girl, who sends letters nowadays? I do.

[00:07:41] My best friend and I, I've had my best friend since I was four years old. From time to time, we will write each other letters instead of calling or texting each other on the phone. And I cannot tell you, out of all the mail that you get on a regular basis, I light up when I get a card or a letter in the mail. So, sending that warm sentiment, however you choose to do it. Next is set a timeline.

[00:08:11] Not all goals need to happen right now. Now, you can send and spread them out over the year. So, for instance, if launching a podcast is a professional goal, then plan it for quarter three so you're not rushing. Do your research. Find out what it's like and what it entails to actually produce and run your own podcast or launch it. Celebrate your wins is the next step. Here's something that we forget.

[00:08:41] Progress deserves celebration. Even if it's small. Like if you finally carve out one family game night, celebrate that win. These small victories will keep you motivated. I'll give you a prime example. Last night, Wednesdays is typically a date night for us. Sometimes we have to change it around because of our schedules.

[00:09:06] But my husband and I have had the tradition of having a weekly date night since we were dating. And we've been married for over 20 years now. And so last night, I said, okay, he's in charge of bringing the food home for us to eat. And I'm going to plan the activities. He didn't know what was coming. He had no idea what was coming. But I planned a couple of activities.

[00:09:34] And one was a family game night. Just to laugh. Just to break up and ease the tension. And break up the monotony throughout the work week. So those are your three steps on how to prioritize without overwhelm. Starting small. Set a timeline. And celebrate wins. Next, let me tell you about a friend of mine. I'm going to call her Lisa. I don't want to give my friends Ronan. But her name, we'll call her Lisa in this episode. So she's a mom of two.

[00:10:04] She runs her own business. And last year, she tried to do it all. Build her business. Renovate her house. And train for a marathon. Wonderful, phenomenal woman. But by March, sadly, she was burnt out. So we sat down and worked through the three Ps. So her professional goal became 30 minutes of yoga a week. Her professional goals was to streamline her client onboarding process.

[00:10:34] And her people goal was one uninterrupted Saturday morning with her kids. So by focusing on just those three things, Lisa felt that she got her energy back. She even said, you know what? I finally feel like I'm showing up for my family and my business without losing myself. That is the power of the three Ps.

[00:11:00] And then let's talk about the inevitable. You know, when life happens. I love one of the T-shirts I saw on a former colleague years ago. He was an English teacher and he loved Shakespeare. And his T-shirt said, manure occurth. Life happens, guys.

[00:11:30] And of course, life isn't perfect. So goals might shift and that's okay. If something isn't working, pivot. Turn around. Go another direction. So for example, if your goal was to go to the gym three times a week, but your schedule exploded, try a quick workout at home instead. So here's the thing. Progress isn't linear.

[00:12:00] So some weeks you're going to crush it. Other weeks, life will get in the way. The key is to stay flexible and give yourself grace. The journey matters more than checking off a box or an item on the to-do list. So here's your challenge for this week. I want you to write down one goal for each of the three P's, personal, professional, and people.

[00:12:28] Just one for each. And remember, you're not aiming for perfection. You're aiming for progress. And if you would love to share those goals with me, I would love to hear your goals. Email me at info at workitliveitownit.com. Again, your three P's, personal, professional, and people. Just one for each. And remember, you're not aiming for perfection.

[00:12:58] You're aiming for progress. So guys, let's make 2025 the year we thrive with intention and harmony. And hey, if you try this method again, I'd love to hear how it's working for you. Send me a message at workitliveitownit.com or tag me on social media. Workit, live it, own it. Here's to working it and living it and owning it one step at a time.

[00:13:27] Take care, guys.