How Does Your Action Align With Your Priorities And Values?

Have you ever been working on something and have the thought occur to you, “I have no business doing this!”? What are your priorities? What do you value? Make a note of them. Now for the tough question, how aligned are your actions with your priorities and values? In other words many people claim to know their priorities and values and yet few pause to check if they’re acting accordingly.

For example some may say they value health and yet exercise is missing from their schedule. Maybe faith/spirituality is claimed important without including meditation, spiritual practice, and a form of fellowship. Excuses or a lack of commitment to self-development and life-long learning make it practically impossible to create desired improvements in life.
< br />There are some priorities and values that will remain constant in our life while others will vary. Have you noticed when a loved one is ill priorities shift?

What about the natural ebb and flow of life? Age, business growth, family/lifestyle changes? Have these changed in your life without you reevaluating tasks you continue to do – just because you’ve always done them?

We need to be responsible; however there are times when we would be better served to delegate certain tasks. Especially tasks we continue to do just because we’ve always done them. Delegation may mean hiring out, which yes, costs money. Pause to determine what doing it all yourself is actually costing you. Time you need to dedicate to your health and exercise? Quality relationships you keep wishi ng you had with loved ones? The benefit of “free time” to rejuvenate yourself? Growth of your business because there isn’t enough of you?

Common interfering messages that prevent us from delegating include:

* I’m perfectly capable of doing the task.
* I’ve always done it, why stop now?
* Why pay someone when I can do “x” myself?

In response to the above –

* You probably are, however, is that the best use of your time and energy?
* Could it be your life has changed and yet you continue to do what you used to do as if the changes hadn’t occurred? Then you wonder why you are unable to complete what’s important to you!
* Can someone else do the job better or more efficient?

When evaluating delegating a task ask yourself:

* Is this the best use of my time?
* Am I feeling frustrated or pressured because I’d really rather (or need to be doing) . . .?
* What is it costing me (health, relationships, stress, growth etc) by saving the money I’d pay someone else?

The irony is in the process of “doing it all” we often frustrate and deplete ourselves. I also pose we deprive others of fulfillment when we insist on doing it all. How do you feel when someone utilizes your services – volunteer or paid?

What task, or portion of a task, do you know you need to delegate? How would that add value to your life and someone else’s?