September 17, 2024 Moon Festival Q&A

1. How can I better prioritize my work and life better?

A: Great question and you can try the following steps!

1. IDENTIFY: we can start with listing everything you believe is important, for both personal and professional goals. Think about Aristotle's idea of the "highest good", ask yourself: What activities align with my long-term well-being and happiness? These should be at the top of your list.

2. CATEGORIZE: Then, do research on how to get to these goals and try to plan enough time for them. Categorize your list into urgent vs important. Refer to Stephen Covey's "First Things First" principle: The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities. Focus on what will have the most significant long-term impact, rather than what's immediately pressing.

3.TIME BLOCKING: After that, dedicate specific blocks of time in your calendar to work on each priority. For instance, if health is a priority, schedule daily exercise sessions. Seneca reminds us " it is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it." By assigning time blocks, you ensure you're investing your time wisely and not wasting it on distractions.

4. DAILY REVIEW: Each morning review your schedule and tasks, and make adjustment if needed, and ensure that the most important tasks are given enough time.

5.REFLECT & ADJUST: At the end of the week, review what you accomplished. Did you stick to your list? If not , adjust your approach for the following week.

6.INTEGRATE MINDFULNESS: Practice meditation or mindfulness to stay centered and aware of your goals. Stay present in your tasks, and give them your full attention.

Practical tools: Get a paper planner in combination with a digital planner like Google calendar for best results. Remember that it takes a few weeks to truly feel like you are in the zone, so plan wisely and take it slowly. Reward yourself some ice cream or chocolate when you complete your list!

MASTERY