Bestselling author Stephen Covey once noted, “The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities”.
I often think of this quote whenever I look at my messy to-do list. You see, it’s so easy to keep adding items and tasks, like we’re collecting souvenirs from every idea that crosses our mind.
But in the end, we wind up drowning in responsibilities that may not even move the needle in our personal or professional lives. You know what I mean?
I used to do exactly that. Early in my career—when I was juggling marketing campaigns, client meetings, and writing projects—my calendar looked like a game of Tetris. Everything was jammed in with no space left to breathe.
I felt proud of how busy I was, but the truth is, I wasn’t as productive or strategic as I thought. Eventually, I realized that the secret to getting more done wasn’t about piling tasks on top of tasks; it was about getting crystal clear on what truly matters.
To help figure out the difference, I started asking myself five key questions before saying yes to anything new. Today, I’m excited to share these questions with you.
If you want your next to-do list to feel less chaotic and more purposeful, read on.
1. Does this align with my main goals or values?
This one sounds pretty obvious, but hear me out.
Sometimes I find myself adding items that seem important at first glance, but when I stop and ask, “Does this move me in the direction of my bigger goals?” I discover it doesn’t align at all.
Maybe I read about a cool new software tool, or someone invites me to a workshop that sounds trendy. Those things might be valuable, but if they aren’t relevant to what I’m trying to accomplish right now, they can easily become distractions.
I’ve mentioned this before, but there’s a real difference between staying busy and being productive. Busy means you’re filling every second with something (anything), whereas productivity is about spending time on the right things.
This question keeps me grounded. If a task doesn’t match my core priorities—like writing, improving my craft, or investing in relationships that matter—I’m quick to drop it from my list.
As Warren Buffet famously said, “The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.” He’s was really onto something. If you have trouble drawing the line, remembering that quote might help you power through those uncertain moments and politely decline the next random request.
2. Is this worth my time, energy, and resources?
We only have so many hours in a day (and so much mental bandwidth). Every time we say yes to one task, we’re effectively saying no to something else—like focusing on a bigger project, taking a break, or even spending time with people we love.
That’s why I always gauge if a potential to-do is genuinely worth the resources it’ll consume.
As an example, back when I was immersed in digital marketing, I’d often get invited to back-to-back meetings. At first, it felt necessary to attend them all. Then I came across a statistic that changed my perspective: research has shown about 70% of all meetings keep employees from working and completing their tasks.
On reflection, I realized that countless hours spent in pointless meetings were draining my energy and preventing real progress on meaningful projects.
It didn’t happen overnight, but once I started asking, “Is this worth my focus right now?” I became much pickier about which meetings I attended. If I could resolve something over a quick message or email, I’d opt for that.
When I protected my time and energy, I noticed my productivity skyrocketing—and I finally found myself making real headway on the tasks that mattered most. You might, too.
3. What are the consequences if I say yes or no?
This is a big one.
Before I add a new task to my plate, I think about the potential fallout. If I say yes, will I be taking on so much that I have to work late every night or compromise the quality of my work? If I say no, will I miss out on a valuable opportunity to learn or collaborate?
I once said yes to helping a friend with a side project that seemed small. It turned into a nightly three-hour adventure with complicated spreadsheets, multiple phone calls, and zero boundaries on weekends.
By the time I realized how overwhelmed I was, it felt too late to back out. Looking back, I wish I had asked this question upfront: “What happens if I say yes to this?” The honest answer would have been, “You’ll lose valuable writing time, you’ll lose focus on your main freelance clients, and you’ll end up stressed.”
Saying no can be tough, especially if you want to be helpful. But real kindness involves being clear about your boundaries from the start. Protecting your own priorities means you’ll be more effective, more present, and less resentful when it’s time to handle other obligations. That way, when you do choose to help, you can do so wholeheartedly.
4. Am I using my strengths, or am I spinning my wheels?
Sometimes, a task might align perfectly with your broader goals, but it’s also helpful to check if it aligns with your natural strengths or if it’s something better delegated.
There are moments when it’s good to push yourself outside your comfort zone. But if you find that a particular task is draining your energy more than it’s contributing to your growth, it might be worth passing it to someone who is better equipped—or at least adjusting your approach.
If you’re an excellent communicator but a mediocre designer, consider offloading design tasks to someone else. If you shine in analytical problem-solving but struggle with content creation, it might be wise to collaborate with a writer.
It doesn’t mean you never learn new skills—it just means you use your time in a way that maximizes your potential.
5. If I do this, will I regret not doing something else?
Last but not least, I ask myself if taking on a new commitment will displace something that matters more.
We can’t do everything, and trying to do so often leads to frustration and burnout. This is where Greg McKeown’s perspective comes in handy: “If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will.” I think that sums it up perfectly.
For instance, I used to volunteer for nearly every opportunity that came my way. I believed more was better—more networking, more learning, more everything – and to an extent, it did help.
The problem was, I ended up putting important personal projects on the backburner. I’d skip my writing time, postpone reading that new psychology book I was excited about, and rarely had free weekends to go hiking. Eventually, I regretted saying yes so often.
These days, I do a quick gut check: “Will I regret it if I don’t use this time to work on that novel, read that research article, or spend a lazy Sunday with family?”
If the answer is yes, I carefully reconsider that new task. It’s one thing to embrace new chances that can truly enhance your life or career; it’s another to accept every offer blindly and miss out on the things that genuinely nourish your mind and soul.
Putting it all together
In the end, every item we add to our to-do list takes up space in our day and in our head. Prioritizing isn’t just about getting more done; it’s about making sure we’re doing the right things for the right reasons.
Ask yourself these five questions before you commit to any new task:
- Does this align with my main goals or values?
- Is this worth my time, energy, and resources?
- What are the consequences if I say yes or no?
- Am I using my strengths, or am I spinning my wheels?
- If I do this, will I regret not doing something else?
Get clear on those answers, and you’ll find your to-do list becomes less cluttered and far more meaningful. You’ll also notice you’re getting the truly important stuff done rather than scattering your energy in too many directions.
Trust me, it’s a liberating feeling—knowing you’re in control of your priorities, instead of them controlling you. That’s the art of prioritizing, and once you get the hang of it, you might just wonder how you ever lived with that endless, unfiltered, and often uninspiring to-do list.
