If Everything Is a Priority, Nothing Is

Summer is here, and people are starting to enjoy outdoor activities with their families and friends. Others are traveling and looking for a chance to recharge after working hard since the Christmas holidays. But once we get into August, things will ramp up again as kids return to school and life becomes busy once more. So, I thought I would share a few thoughts about prioritization—something worth keeping in mind because I know many of you are already thinking about the long list of things waiting for you when vacation is over.

Prioritization is one of those concepts that everyone knows is important if you want to complete a task, finish a project, or achieve a goal. Yet, if we’re truly honest with ourselves, we’ll probably admit that we’re not very good at deciding what really deserves our attention.

To prioritize means “to list or rate (projects, goals, etc.) in order of priority.”1 In every to-do list, some items should take precedence over others because of their importance. At the end of the day, if everything is a priority, then nothing is.

People use all kinds of systems to manage their priorities. Some rely on structured methods such as the Eisenhower Matrix, which categorizes tasks based on urgency and importance. Others use the system developed by David Allen in Getting Things Done. I have to admit that the only part of his method I still use is the “2-Minute Rule.” If something takes two minutes or less, just do it. There is really no reason to add it to your to-do list. Others keep simple lists on their phones or in notebooks. Sadly, some people keep their entire to-do list in their heads, which is probably the worst place to keep track of priorities.

While reading a recent article in The Economist, the author discussed research showing that people often make irrational choices when setting priorities. We are reluctant to abandon goals, even when doing so would lead to better outcomes. We also tend to favor tasks that provide a quick sense of accomplishment over those with greater long-term value. The article cites the example of consumers who often pay off small debts before larger, high-interest ones simply because eliminating a debt feels satisfying.

I want to point out that, from a purely financial perspective, paying off high-interest debt first is generally the better strategy. However, depending on where you are in your financial journey, paying off smaller debts first can provide the motivation needed to stick to a budget and continue making progress toward becoming debt-free.

I’m a big fan of Dave Ramsey’s financial strategy—not necessarily him as a person, but his overall strategy. He calls one of his strategies the Debt Snowball Method.

“The debt snowball method is a debt payoff strategy where you list your debts from smallest to largest balance and pay them off in that order—regardless of the interest rate. You attack the smallest debt with every extra dollar while making minimum payments on everything else. Once it’s gone, you roll that payment into the next debt and continue until you’re debt-free.”2

I mentioned earlier that if everything is a priority, then nothing is, and I believe that’s absolutely true. I saw this repeatedly during my time in the military, where everything seemed to be labeled a priority. We either worked long hours and weekends to get everything done, or projects we had already started simply fell off the list when a new boss arrived with a completely different set of priorities. That’s a terrible place to be. Not only do people lose motivation, but organizations also waste valuable time, money, and effort.

Individuals and families can fall into the same trap. They fill their schedules with so many priorities that life becomes exhausting. Have you ever heard stories about parents enrolling their children in every extracurricular activity they can find, only to wonder later why they’re constantly tired and overwhelmed? It happens all the time. Parents spend all day at work, children spend all day at school, everyone rushes to dance lessons, sports practices, or other activities in the evening, and then they hurry home to get ready to do it all again the next day. It’s an incredibly demanding routine and often a sign that priorities have become unbalanced.

I believe we all need to slow down and be more intentional about our priorities. If you put too many things on your priority or to-do list, you leave yourself very little room to be present and actually enjoy life. Let’s try to avoid living on a hamster wheel—constantly busy but never making meaningful progress or reaching the finish line.

One last thought: whenever we add a new priority, we should also be willing to remove an old one. The Economist article concluded by saying, in essence, that effective prioritization isn’t just about deciding what to do; it’s also about deciding what to stop doing. Sometimes the most productive decision we can make is to let go of tasks or projects that no longer align with what truly matters.

  1. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prioritize ↩︎
  2. https://www.ramseysolutions.com/debt/how-the-debt-snowball-method-works?srsltid=AfmBOorbYtGcWmE5Hpg0jV7CLXubHU6LGWnhYUtFV-ojxNXoLONjm20F ↩︎

107 thoughts on “If Everything Is a Priority, Nothing Is”

  1. Very interesting and informative post, Edward. As it turns out, I guess my wife and I have both been using the 2-Minute Rule for the last couple of years. We really do try to “knock out” anything that comes up task-wise without putting it on a list, or putting it aside for later. Procrastination is one thing, but listing something you can do right that second is another. And of course, our phones have become our longer-task list-holders. We have enough going on with those, but absolutely way better to have fixed lists on phones than trying to live each day with to-do lists rummaging around in our heads…subject to “unconscious editing.”😁

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    1. Thank you, Bruce. The 2-Minute Rule is very helpful when used correctly, especially since you don’t want to interrupt a bigger task just to complete a quick one. Your last line about “unconscious editing” was hilarious, but so true!

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  3. I ride or die with the 2 minute rule. It keeps my head space declutttered. Especially when have writing projects piling up. I wrote down the title on my whiteboard next to my writing desk as I started reading this post… it will become my mantra for a while.
    Great post, Edward.

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  4. It is also worth looking at the other side of the coin when it comes to this perfect planning. When someone’s life is scheduled down to a tee and turns into an endless routine, they start operating like a robot and stop thinking for themselves. With age, dementia quietly creeps into such an orderly world. These repetitive patterns actually sustain and mask the illness, because the person does everything mechanically, from memory.

    The real problem starts when this perfect plan suddenly falls apart. Such a “highly organized” person becomes completely lost and unable to cooperate with others. The slightest change triggers frustration, resistance, and anger. Those closest to them then face a massive problem, because instead of working together to solve the situation, they have to deal with someone for whom a disrupted schedule means the end of the world.

    Paradoxically, our daily, life-forced improvisation—though terribly exhausting—forces our brains to constantly think and stay flexible. It protects us from the mental rigidity that people who live by rigid procedures willingly inflict upon themselves.

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    1. I agree with you. I know life has a vote, so doing some planning is okay, but we need to avoid the extreme of planning every minute of the day. That’s almost impossible and will lead to frustration, like you mentioned.

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  5. Today, we aren’t the ones doing the planning—the system and the economy do it for us. Wages barely cover the bills, so we only buy what’s on sale, and we line up at gas stations in the evening because that’s when fuel is cheaper. Instead of spending quality time with our families, we are constantly waiting for something.

    Schools, doctors, and public offices impose their own schedules on us, and we have no choice but to adapt. As a result, people become prisoners of someone else’s timetable. Every day turns into putting out fires and reacting on the fly, rather than actually pursuing our own goals.

    In larger families where parents work hard, they come home too physically exhausted to even think about “priorities.” The luxury of planning is now reserved for retirees, state officials, or business owners. The rest of society just has to improvise and keep running forward just to survive from paycheck to paycheck.

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    1. You make a great point. For most of our lives, we have to accommodate other people’s schedules and remain flexible just to meet our daily needs. Much of that changes once we retire and are free to do things on our own time. Thank you for reading and commenting.

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  6. Thanks for presenting these comments on scheduling. I picked up David Allen’s book you mentioned in an airport book store a couple of years ago. It took our household by storm and all three of us read it. Funny, his two minute rule is what stuck with me the most as well. I agree it is easy to fall into scheduling every minute of every day and then we miss the spontaneous walks or conversations that really hold our lives together.

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    1. You’re welcome, Rebecca. His system is insane. I tried his filing system for a month and couldn’t keep up. I ended up just using the “in” and “out” boxes to manage paperwork. His two-minute rule is powerful if used in moderation. I know people who write down on their calendar when they are going to talk to their spouse, children, eat, etc. It feels very impersonal and mechanical in my view, and it doesn’t leave room for spontaneous conversations like you mentioned.

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  12. This is such a timely reminder that Peace often comes from simplifying what we try to carry. When we learn to let go of what doesn’t matter most, life becomes a lot clearer and more meaningful. Perfect timing on this message Edward… Thank you

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      1. Thank you … You as well. Que la paces, Very good…

        And Thank you so much for the Coffee.. Truly Grateful…

        God Bless You, today and always…

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  13. I’m absolutely with you about “if everything is a priority, then nothing is” and “deciding what to stop doing” too. The later was key for my self-management in my career. If I had a dollar for every time I was told “Everything is your priority” it would have given me a big retirement fund. An unexpected, but interesting topic, Edward. Wishing you and yours a splendid holiday. Hugs.

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    1. I know, we would be millionaires! In the Army, this is funny because we have bosses all the way up to the Pentagon, and every boss in the chain of command has a different priority for us. You can imagine the list I had! Thank you, and have a wonderful 4th of July weekend.

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      1. Yes, I can imagine. I had similar working for and in the federal government. Being unofficially loaned out to higher-ups, and worse sent to presidential appointees on tasks that one particularly unqualified boss was flats out chicken to do.(Which was also considered so inappropriate that it was basically insulting to the appointee.) Although I’m sure yours was more extreme, and had more bossed in play simultaneously. Ugh! I shudder to think.

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  14. Hi Edward, I haven’t had a chance to read this post yet. Unrelatedly, I came upon a book on my list and am wondering if you’ve read it. Kingdom of Rage by Elizabeth Neuman. It sounds like one you might like and one I’d like to read your review of.

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  16. This hit home, Edward. The military example is well-known to any vet, to be sure, and I see it daily in my very non-military work now. If we pay attention, I’m sure we’ve all witness how quickly “everything is a priority” turns into confusion and burnout. It’s amazing how much more effective people can be when there’s actually a clear top priority instead of ten competing ones.

    I think most of us are better at making to-do lists than deciding what doesn’t belong on them. Sometimes saying “no” to one thing is the only way to say “yes” to what really matters. I wish my leadership would read this!

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  17. Such a great post, Edward!
    It’s vital to prioritize and constantly access what truly is important and what isn’t especially when there are “so many mouths or projects to feed!” Balance is always the goal in constant revision while trying to catch my breathe”! 🧘‍♀️ ❤️💕Om Om Om

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  19. Hi Edward, an interesting read. I keep all my priorities in my head and I always have. It’s a good thing I have a very good memory 🤣. Your final comments about letting old priorities go is also profound. I need to think about that one.

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    1. Oh wow, you have a great memory! I might be able to keep a few things that I’m planning to do for the day in my head, but beyond that, I need to write them down, especially my long-term plans. Thank you for commenting, Robbie.

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  20. Excellent piece Edward. Life gets so overwhelming, especially for the sensitive. Isaiah 40:31 says, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” I have definitely been simplifying life this year more than any other as was feeling emotionally burnt out with many things.

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    1. Thank you so much, Lana. That is a great Bible verse to always keep in mind. I have been on the simple and slow side of things since my retirement. After decades of stress and pushing myself to the limit, I decided to slow things down and not engage in too many commitments.

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  22. Lots of good advice, Edward. Thank you. A couple of other thoughts. While you have touched on it at the end, the importance of relationships and activities that bring joy cannot be underrated.

    There is another idea worth considering: the Premack Principle. Wikipedia describes its value this way: “Stated objectively, if high-probability behaviors (more desirable behaviors) are made contingent upon lower-probability behaviors (less desirable behaviors), then the lower-probability behaviors are more likely to occur.”

    One more thought. Bucket lists are, almost be definition, things we believe are important to us, but that we put off to a time when we are older. The list doesn’t necessarily consider that we might die before we complete the list. Moreover, it ignores the possibility that in a number of years ahead, we might not be the same person who values the items on the list in the same way.

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    1. Thank you for your comment and for adding to the discussion. Grandma’s rule, eat your vegetables if you want dessert, awesome! I didn’t know that was called the Premack Principle; I just learned something new today. I mowed my lawn early, because it’s crazy hot, so now I have more time to read without worrying about chores. Hopefully, people can somehow turn those high-probability behaviors into productive ones. As for the bucket list, I agree with you. I actually don’t have one for the same reasons you mentioned. There are a few places I want to go, but it’s not a big deal if I don’t go.

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  24. Last summer, our adult granddaughter shared this with me (she found it on Pinterest). I thought of it again when I read your post, Edward:

    You are not a machine. You’re a soul who needs music, connection, sunsets, laughter, and small pockets of joy. Prioritize them like your life depends on it because it does.
    Life isn’t meant to be a cycle of stress and survival. Pause. Look up. Let the sunset remind you: you’re here to live, not just to hustle. Life is not a to-do list. It’s a gift.
    Walk slower. Hug longer. Laugh louder.
    Love deeper. The clock may be ticking, but your presence is timeless. We’ve been conditioned to believe that constant
    productivity equals worth, but humans weren’t designed for endless output. We need moments of wonder, connection, and rest … not as rewards for hard work, but as essential ingredients for a meaningful life.

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  26. Love the post, Ed. I believe it is so relevant to our culture today and part of that is because enough is never enough. The demands placed on accomplishing everything yesterday is ridiculous. I know that is untrue in essence, but I want to emphasize what we have allowed to put us in this predicament. Many corporations have people stretched thin for the almighty dollar. However, if you pass out at work, they will just get your replacement. How do we change that as a people? Jobs are needed to sustain reasonable living. One thing I was thinking about is that what involves work stays at work. You can set boundaries for many jobs once you leave for home. What involves is prioritized when at home. One exception that would override the job is a medical emergency or physical danger. Re-evaluation is necessary. My thoughts.

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    1. Thank you, Sandra. I agree that demands and pressures are ridiculous, but we need to push back as much as we can. It’s difficult to do at work, but what you said about boundaries is spot on. If we don’t set those and allow work to interfere with home and vice versa, then we get in trouble.

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  27. Thank you for this important reminder, Edward. I’ve always followed “The Two-Minute Rule.” I’m doing much better at prioritizing my marketing and promotion tasks. I’m giving serious consideration to ROI. I’ve also given up a few volunteer commitments because I didn’t have enough time to write.

    The prioritizing game was a whole other kettle of fish when I was working. This paragraph captures it perfectly. There were times I’d come into work, sit in my chair, and think I’d be just as well of with all the equal priorities if someone spun me around, and I threw a dart at them.

    “I mentioned earlier that if everything is a priority, then nothing is, and I believe that’s absolutely true. I saw this repeatedly during my time in the military, where everything seemed to be labeled a priority. We either worked long hours and weekends to get everything done, or projects we had already started simply fell off the list when a new boss arrived with a completely different set of priorities. That’s a terrible place to be. Not only do people lose motivation, but organizations also waste valuable time, money, and effort.”

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    1. You’re welcome, Liz. For authors like you, ROI is important. You have to spend so much time marketing your books that it’s understandable. Life circumstances will change, so priorities will continue to evolve. Thank you.

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  28. “we all need to slow down and be more intentional about our priorities” – so true! Great post! I’m off to read more about the debt snowball – what a great metaphor! All the best for July – may it be filled with celebration! Linda 🙂

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    1. Thank you, Rosaliene. I even do laundry using the rule. Why wait until the weekend and miss an opportunity to go out with the family when you can take two minutes to put the clothes in the washer? Then, when it’s done, take a minute or so to throw them in the dryer, and at some point, remove and take a few minutes to fold them. I do a bunch of other stuff while doing laundry during the week.

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  30. “…effective prioritization isn’t just about deciding what to do; it’s also about deciding what to stop doing. Sometimes the most productive decision we can make is to let go of tasks or projects that no longer align with what truly matters.” Exactly! The letting go and realigning are nothing short of life-changing. Great post, Edward!

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    1. “Letting go and realigning are nothing short of life-changing,” Amen to that. It’s amazing how much we can improve on a personal level when we do that. Thank you so much, my friend.

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  32. I’ve given up trying to get projects done during the summer. There’s too much competition. Luckily our weather is mild most of the year and so I’ve found hiring folks and getting projects done is less stressful (and often cheaper) either before or after Christmas.

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    1. I hear you. I’m in my 4th year in this house, and I’m getting smarter about when to call people to do certain things. Our AC was checked in early May because trying to get someone in the summer is a nightmare. The feels like temperature in my area today is 106 degrees, so I’m sure the AC technicians are super busy working on emergencies.

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  33. A very down-to-earth post, Edward. You touched a key point here: “if everything is a priority, then nothing is.” There’s no point of prioritizing then. And I loved the idea of removing one priority if a new is added. Some people keep adding things to their lists and wonder why they are overloaded. Thank you for this very insightful and practical information, my friend. Sending you light and blessings 🌟 🙌 🙏

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    1. You’re so welcome, my friend. Re-evaluating priorities and removing what is no longer important is so essential exactly because of what you said. I think it reduces stress in the end. Thank you, and I hope you have a blessed week. 🙏🏼

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  34. A brilliant point made here, Edward:
    “Sadly, some people keep their entire to-do list in their heads, which is probably the worst place to keep track of priorities.”
    Oh my goodness! I couldn’t agree more! Those individual, sometimes errant thoughts, begin to coalesce and grow…turning into burdensome boulders…my head game at its worst!
    Love the nudge about the “two-minute rule”…riding along with the idea of keeping things tidy, touching stuff once rather than shoving it around (thinking about how mail can pile up if I let it).
    Thanks much for the afternoon inspiration! 😊💝😊

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    1. You’re so welcome. Yes, the “two-minute rule” is my go-to during the day. Reviewing the mail and shredding what is not important so it doesn’t pile up is a perfect example of the rule. Thank you, my friend.

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  35. I agree with your conclusion that most of us need to slow down, set priorities, and be more intentional. The biggest challenge is often separating urgent from important, ala Steven Covey’s system from 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Thanks for bringing another important topic to light Edward.

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    1. You’re welcome, Brad. I agree with you about the difference between urgent and important. So difficult to work through that. Now that I’m a homeowner, my “urgent” is fixing a leaky pipe and my “important” is saving money for a roof replacement that we need to do in 2034, of course, assuming we are still living here and alive. If I don’t have water leaking anywhere, then urgent is not going to Best Buy to get the latest TV. It’s taking that money and saving it to pay cash for the roof replacement. If I don’t replace the roof when it’s recommended, then it will turn into an urgent matter if water starts leaking from the roof and I need to borrow money to replace it.

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  36. I see this constantly Edward. People want to do well. They’re not trying to sabotage leadership’s goals. But like you say, when everything is a top priority, nothing is. And leaders tend to keep adding and adding, and rarely remove priorities. One leader I know gained so much equity with her team . . . by simply removing a priority that no longer aligned with the bottom line. It was a simple step, but gained immeasurable engagement, alignment, and confidence.

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    1. That’s excellent, Brian. You don’t see that often in a leader. There is nothing wrong with removing priorities that no longer align with organizational goals, and that leader demonstrated tremendous vision. You’re absolutely right about people wanting to do well. But there aren’t enough hours in a day to do it all, and leaders must recognize that.

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