5 Steps to Get Better at Prioritizing

Dave, The Notion Coach
8 min readAug 18, 2024

There’s no denying: our days are full of distractions.

Knowing what to work on next is hard as it is, before we even get distracted.

Whether you’re a freelancer juggling multiple clients or an employee balancing team responsibilities, prioritizing the right next actions is crucial for your productivity and success. But for a lot of us, it’s not so simple.

Let’s get into the root causes behind these struggles and explore strategies to help you prioritize more effectively, so you can focus on what really matters.

Understanding the Roots of Prioritization Struggles

🤯 Cognitive Overload

In today’s digital world, information comes at us constantly. Between emails, social media, and daily responsibilities, our brains are overloaded with data. Studies show that the average office worker receives around 121 emails per day . This deluge of information leads to “cognitive overload,” where we struggle to make clear decisions because our mental resources are stretched too thin .

😖 Emotional Barriers: Fear of Failure and Perfectionism

Beyond cognitive limits, emotional factors also play a significant role in poor prioritization…

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Dave, The Notion Coach

Notion Consultant and Productivity Specialist. Sharing advice to optimize operations and unlock team potential with Notion.