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When Everything Feels Urgent, Choose What Moves The Needle · Plan Like A Boss | Planning, Productivity, and Strategy for Entrepreneurs

• 0:25
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome back to Plan Like a Boss.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Tanya, music teacher, planning fanatic, and business owner of over 20 years.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: And today we're talking about how to prioritize when everything feels important.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_00: Let's be real for a second.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_00: Some days it feels like your life is a giant dumpster fire.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, everything is on fire.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_00: The emails are piling up.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: Your planner looks like a freaking crime scene, and every task on your list is screaming, I'm urgent.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_00: If you've ever sat down at your desk and thought, I don't even know where to start, I want you to know that you are not alone.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: I have been there more times than I can count.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_00: Especially when I'm running multiple businesses, creating content, and managing all the adulting that comes with life.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_00: But here's the truth: not everything that feels important actually is important.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_00: So today we're gonna walk through how to untangle that chaos and figure out what really deserves your time, energy, and focus.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_00: Now, when everything feels equally urgent, your brain short circuits.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_00: It's like trying to juggle 10 balls while balancing on a yoga ball.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: Eventually, something's gonna hit the floor.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: And here's what makes it worse: you care deeply.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_00: You want to do your best work, you want to show up for your people, and you don't want to drop the ball on the things that really matter.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: But trying to do everything at once just dilutes your impact, and you end up doing 10 things halfway instead of doing one thing really well.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_00: So, first, I want you to give yourself permission to pause because you're not lazy, you're not behind, you're human.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_00: And clarity can't exist in chaos.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_00: You have to give yourself permission to slow down long enough to think clearly.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_00: So, step one, you are going to braind the chaos.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_00: When everything feels urgent, your first job isn't to prioritize, it's to externalize.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_00: So grab a notebook, index cards, or even a piece of junk mail.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_00: I personally like to use a piece of paper from the recycling can I keep next to my desk.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_00: Next, I want you to write everything down.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: Don't organize it, don't make it cute.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_00: The uglier, the better.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_00: Just get it out of your head.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: Because when your brain is trying to hold your to-do list, your deadlines, your grocery list, and your big goals all at once, it treats them all as equally urgent.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_00: That's why it feels like you're drowning.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: Your brain hasn't had the chance to see the big picture.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_00: But once it's all out, you can finally see what you're working with.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: Step two, I want you to ask yourself a question.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_00: What is going to move the needle?
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_00: Now, here is where things shift.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_00: I want you to look at that list and ask what will actually move the needle towards the goal that I'm working on right now.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: Not what's the loudest, not what's the easiest, not what's gonna make someone else happy, but what will create meaningful progress towards your goals?
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_00: This is one of my favorite questions because it immediately filters out all the busy work.
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes that means doing the uncomfortable thing, like finally launching that sales page or recording that podcast episode while letting all the other small stuff wait another day.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_00: But I want you to remember, progress doesn't come from checking more boxes.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_00: It comes from checking the right boxes.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_00: Now, step three, I want you to define your top three.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_00: Once you know what's going to move the needle, I want you to narrow your focus to three things max.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_00: That's it.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I love the one, three, five rule.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_00: One big task, three medium tasks, and five small ones.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_00: If you have the capacity.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_00: But honestly, even just choosing your top three priorities can completely change how your entire day feels.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_00: When you give your energy to fewer things, you actually make progress instead of constantly spinning your wheels.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_00: At the end of the day, that progress, no matter how small, is what builds momentum.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_00: And that's what really gets you moving.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_00: Step four, I want you to match your energy to your tasks.
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_00: Now, one thing that often gets overlooked: your energy matters as much as your time.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_00: If you're low energy, don't force yourself to do your most creative or strategic work.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_00: Instead, match the task to your energy level.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: So if you're tired, do something administrative or mechanical, something that is going to take no brain cells to do.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_00: If you're feeling sharper inspired, then that's the time to dive into some deep work.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_00: That's the time to start creating.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_00: When you plan around your energy instead of just around your clock, prioritization stops feeling like punishment and it starts feeling like alignment.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_00: Step five, reassess and release.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_00: I want you to remember this.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_00: Priorities aren't permanent.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_00: That's right.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_00: Priorities are not permanent.
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_00: What's most important this week may not be the most important thing next week.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe this week it's launching your new website, but next week your mom ends up in the hospital.
• 5:51
  SPEAKER_00: Mom is way more important than anything business related.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_00: So you're going to have to change your priorities.
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_00: This doesn't just apply to emergencies either.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_00: So give yourself permission to reassess regularly.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_00: Things change, life changes, and so do your priorities.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_00: And maybe most importantly, release the guilt over what doesn't get done because priority is not a moral issue.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_00: You are not a bad entrepreneur or creative because you didn't finish everything.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_00: Instead, you're learning to focus on what matters most.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_00: And that is powerful growth.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_00: So next time you feel pulled in a hundred different directions, pause and ask yourself, what will move the needle right now?
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_00: That one question can pull you out of the overwhelm and back into momentum.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_00: Now, if this episode hit home for you, I want you to take a screenshot and share it on Instagram.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_00: Tag me at dr.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_00: Tanya Lawson.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_00: That's at dr.tanyawson.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_00: I'd love to hear what needle moving task you're focusing on this week.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_00: And if you're ready to get more intentional about your planning, my next quarterly planning workshop is coming up on December 13th.
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_00: So if you're tired of feeling behind, overwhelmed, or like you're doing everything except the things that truly move your business forward, this workshop was made for you.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_00: Hop on over to tanyalawson.comslash plan to make sure you get a seat.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_00: I'll put it in the show notes as well.
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_00: And until next time, keep planning like a boss.