Why is it so hard to prioritize?
Welcome to Issue #50 of WorkCraft, where I share 1 Big Idea & 3 Little Updates to help you work with more focus and intention.
We’ve all been there—days where distractions seem to come from every angle, and by the time the day ends, it feels like nothing meaningful got done.
Whether you’re a freelancer balancing multiple projects or an employee trying to keep up with team demands, prioritizing the right tasks can feel like an impossible challenge.
For a long time, I found myself stuck in this cycle. I’d be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of things to do, immobilized by indecision or a fear of not getting things perfect. It’s rarely been because of a lack of motivation —I just wasn’t sure where to direct my energy.
And the result? I ended up in reactive mode instead of just making decisions and going with them.
This led me to the realization that prioritization is a mental muscle that needs training, and if developed, can be a superpower.
It’s not about finding the perfect system right off the bat; but about learning through trial and error, figuring out what works best for you. For me, the a-ha moment was moving from seeing prioritization as a rigid, high-pressure expectation, to seeing it as a flexible tool that would help me align my daily actions with my long-term goals.
I’ve boiled this process down to a five-steps that have helped me stay focused and intentional, even on the most chaotic days. These steps incorporate a bunch of other models and frameworks, but have worked for me; usually when I hit a wall, there’s one area from the list that I’m not addressing.
Here are the five actionable steps that have made all the difference for me:
🏁 Start with Action: The hardest part is starting. Just take the first step and let momentum carry you forward.
✍🏼 Track Your Work: Build awareness by tracking where your time goes. You can’t fix what you don’t measure.
🧐 Review and Reflect: Regularly analyze your work habits to spot inefficiencies and refine your approach.
🦾 Optimize Your Workflow: Use tools like the Eisenhower Matrix to focus on what’s truly important and minimize distractions.
⛰️ Align with Your Goals: Make sure every task ties back to your long-term objectives for continuous progress.
These five actionable steps can transform how you work, but this is just a brief overview. If you want to check out the full breakdown of what I do in each step, read the full article below!
NOTION UPDATES
📊 Notion Charts is Here!
Exciting news – Notion just rolled out a new feature: Charts! Now you can turn any database into a beautiful, customizable chart in just a few clicks.
Whether you’re tracking projects, sales, or progress toward your goals, Charts make it easier (and prettier!) to keep tabs on everything. Just type /chart, choose your data source, and tweak your charts to your heart’s desire.
In next week’s video, I’ll walk you through creating and customizing these charts to supercharge your dashboards. I’ll also be exploring some of my favorite use cases, like tracking project timelines, team performance, and client deliverables.
Have a specific use case in mind for Charts? Hit reply and let me know – I’d love to hear how you’re planning to use this powerful new feature!
ON THE ROADMAP
📋 Notion Forms Coming Soon?!
If you missed Notion’s latest updates email, it looks like Notion is building Forms natively in the app!
This new tool will allow us to easily create surveys, collect feedback, and gather RSVPs, with all responses automatically populating into our Notion databases. No more manual data entry!
This could be a game-changer for streamlining information collection for a variety of use-cases. And it looks like this could roll out in a matter of weeks. 👀
What do you think? Will you be using Notion Forms when they become available?
SNEAK PEEK!
🎒 The WRK Collective
I'm thrilled to share that in next year, I'll be launching The WRK Collective – a new learning community built to supercharge your productivity with free guides, Notion templates, webinars, and deep-dive courses. Whether you're a freelancer or part of a team, you'll find actionable insights and resources to streamline your work and boost efficiency.
Stay tuned for more details, and if you want to be the first to know when it launches, sign up below!
🙌🏼 That’s it for this week!
I’d love to hear what you think. What content resonates? What do you want to see more or less of? Just hit reply to let me know!
And if you’re loving this newsletter, I’d love it if you helped spread the word!