In previous posts, I introduced the concept of executive function and explored how separating planning from execution—the "Zoom Out, Zoom In Dance"—can dramatically improve productivity. I then discussed how to break down complex projects into manageable tasks through the process of "Task Analysis" which is akin to slicing a large loaf of bread so that you can eat it one slice at a time. This brings us to a crucial challenge many of my clients face: once you've broken down your projects into tasks, how do you decide which ones to tackle first?
In this post, I'll explore multiple frameworks that can help guide your prioritization decisions. However, It's important to keep in mind that the prioritization ideas offered here won't all be a perfect fit for everyone. Your careful consideration of your own regulatory patterns will ultimately help you determine which prioritization approaches will best fit your needs.
When You Have More Tasks Than Time
Let me share a common scenario I witness in my clinical practice:
Marcus stares at his freshly created task list following a productive planning session. He's successfully broken down his quarterly marketing campaign into 27 distinct tasks. But now, faced with this comprehensive list and only two weeks to complete everything, he feels a rising sense of overwhelm. His shoulders tense, his breathing becomes shallow, and he notices an uncomfortable tightness in his chest. Which task should he start with? Which ones could wait if necessary? Unable to decide, he finds himself scrolling through emails instead. After a while he realizes he has avoided doing what he most needs to be doing at this time which is figuring out in what order he should approach his tasks, and has instead found himself working on a much less important task. Recognizing that he has avoided making the difficult choices required to prioritize his tasks causes him to feel even more overwhelmed than he did before.
This scenario highlights a critical insight: breaking down projects is only half the battle. Without effective prioritization strategies, even the most well-defined set of tasks can leave us physically and emotionally paralyzed. What's particularly important to understand is that prioritization paralysis isn't just a mental phenomenon; it contributes to and creates actual physical sensations of overwhelm that further hamper your decision-making abilities.
The Chef's Kitchen: A Metaphor for Prioritization
When you think of prioritization it's useful to imagine you are a skilled chef in a busy restaurant kitchen. A skilled chef doesn't simply cook dishes in the order they're received. Instead, they orchestrate a complex dance of timing and importance in selecting what tasks to do when:
Some dishes must be started first because they take longest to cook (time-sensitive tasks)
Certain ingredients need to be prepped before they can be used in multiple dishes (dependency-based tasks)
High-value specials get priority attention (high-impact tasks)
The chef must consider which cooking stations are available and which are at capacity (resource constraints)
And all of this needs to happen while maintaining the overall quality of the dining experience (values alignment)
What's fascinating about watching expert chefs work is how embodied and physical their knowledge becomes. They don't just intellectually know what to prioritize; they feel the correctness of their choices in their bodies. They develop a physical intuition for timing, for when ingredients need attention, for how different tasks must be sequenced. Their expertise lives not just in their minds but in their hands, in their sense of timing, in their ability to physically and efficiently navigate the kitchen space.
Skilled chefs build their knowledge and intuition over time. Like a skilled chef, your own experience of building up your prioritization skills will follow a recognizable progression. What begins with you consciously and deliberately applying one or more of these prioritization frameworks will eventually transform into you intuitively knowing what you need to do when, with you too developing an embodied sense of how best to approach prioritizing your work.
Just as a chef can't prepare every dish simultaneously, we also can't tackle every task at once. Prioritization is the art of deciding what happens when, based on a clear understanding of what matters most. It involves being attuned to both the physical and emotional states that support the different types of work you need to accpmlish.
The Fundamental Prioritization Frameworks
Let's explore four fundamental frameworks that can help you prioritize effectively. Think of these as different techniques in your chef's repertoire, each useful in specific situations. As we explore each framework, I'll highlight how your physical and emotional states might interact with the prioritization process.
1. The Urgency-Importance Matrix (Eisenhower Matrix)
The Eisenhower Matrix approach to prioritization has you sort your tasks into one of four quadrants based on two dimensions: urgency and importance.
Quadrant 1: Urgent and Important - These are your kitchen fires and immediate customer needs. Do these tasks first.
Quadrant 2: Important but Not Urgent - These are your meal planning and kitchen organization tasks. Schedule these intentionally.
Quadrant 3: Urgent but Not Important - These are the interruptions and distractions. Delegate these if possible.
Quadrant 4: Neither Urgent nor Important - These are time-wasters that don't improve your kitchen. Eliminate these.
The power of this framework lies in distinguishing between urgency (time sensitivity) and importance (alignment with goals and values). Many of my clients with executive function challenges get trapped responding primarily to urgency, neglecting important tasks until they too become urgent.
What's particularly noteworthy here is how your body responds differently to each of these quadrants. Urgent tasks will likely trigger a physiological stress response, which may include increased heart rate, shallow breathing and muscle tension, that causes you to feel a sense of pressure which can interfere with your ability to think clearly and flexibly. Important but non-urgent tasks will benefit from a calmer, more reflective physical state that allows for creative thinking and deeper consideration.
Consider Elena, a marketing director I worked with, who found herself constantly putting out fires for clients (Quadrant 1) while never finding time for strategic planning (Quadrant 2). When we analyzed her task list using this matrix, she realized that by intentionally scheduling time for those important-but-not-urgent tasks, she could prevent many fires from starting in the first place. Elena also noticed that her constant state of urgency was causing persistent physical tension and emotional exhaustion. By creating dedicated time for Quadrant 2 activities when her body was in a calmer, more grounded state, she not only improved her planning but also her overall well-being.
2. The Value-Effort Matrix
This framework evaluates tasks based on the value they provide relative to the effort required.
High Value, Low Effort - Like quick garnishes that dramatically improve a dish. Do these first.
High Value, High Effort - Like complex signature dishes that define your restaurant. Plan and prioritize these.
Low Value, Low Effort - Like simple side dishes. Batch these together or do when energy is low.
Low Value, High Effort - Like labor-intensive dishes that customers rarely order. Think about eliminating these.
This framework is particularly useful when you need to establish momentum while maximizing impact. By identifying those "quick wins" (high value, low effort), you can build confidence and rapidly create value.
The embodied perspective adds an important dimension here: different types of effort require different physical and emotional states. Some tasks demand intense focus and mental energy, others require physical stamina, and still others tax our emotional resources. By considering not just the abstract concept of "effort" but the specific types of physical and emotional energy each task requires, you can match tasks to the times during the day when your body is best prepared to handle them.
Michael, a software developer experiencing difficulty regulating himself, often struggled with project inertia. Using the Value-Effort Matrix, he was able to identify several high-value, low-effort tasks that helped him to start each project. Completing these early wins gave him the momentum and confidence necessary to tackle the more challenging aspects of his projects. Michael also began tracking his physical energy patterns throughout the day, and found that his capacity for deep, focused work was highest in the morning, while his ability to handle socially demanding tasks peaked mid-afternoon. By aligning the type of high-value tasks he needed to get done with the best times during the day for him to do each type of task he dramatically improved both his productivity and his sense of self-efficacy.
3. Time-Sensitivity Approach
This approach organizes tasks by when they need to be completed, considering both deadlines and optimal timing.
Must Do Today - Ingredients that will spoil if not used immediately
Should Do Today - Prep work that will make tomorrow more efficient
This Week - Items needed soon but not immediately
This Month - Longer-term planning and preparation
Anytime - Tasks without time constraints
The Time-Sensitivity Approach acknowledges that some tasks have genuine timing requirements. Like a chef who knows certain ingredients must be used while fresh, this framework helps you identify what tasks truly need immediate attention versus what tasks can wait.
From an embodied perspective, it's worth noting how our perception of time urgency is physically experienced. When we believe something must be done immediately, our bodies will shift into a stress response state which is helpful for taking quick action but which also makes it harder to complete tasks that require careful thought. Being honest about true time sensitivity is essential! I often work with clients to help them distinguish between externally imposed deadlines (true deadlines) and self-imposed deadlines that may actually be arbitrary or flexible. Learning to distinguish between real deadlines and those which are desirable but not actually necessary can help you better manage and regulate your physical and emotional state.
4. Dependencies-First Approach
This approach prioritizes tasks that unblock other tasks, focusing on the "critical path" to completion.
Foundational Tasks - These must be completed before many other tasks can begin
Unblocking Tasks - These remove bottlenecks that are holding up progress
Independent Tasks - These can be done anytime and don't affect other tasks
Finishing Tasks - These can only be done after other tasks are complete
Like a chef who knows they must make the stock before they can make the soup, this framework helps you identify the optimal task sequence necessary to prevent delays and maintain momentum.
The embodied element here concerns the physical and emotional states that support different types of dependency work. Foundational tasks often require careful attention to detail and a calm, focused state if they are to be done well. In contrast, unblocking tasks may benefit from creative problem-solving energy. Understanding these state requirements can help you schedule dependency work when your body is best prepared to support it.
Jason, a product manager I worked with, constantly found himself in situations where his team would get stuck waiting for decisions or resources. When we applied the Dependencies-First Approach to his project planning, he was able to identify and prioritize the tasks that frequently became bottlenecks, significantly improving his team's flow and productivity. We also discussed how the physical environment Jason worked in when doing different kinds of tasks affected his dependency work. After some consideration, Jason created a dedicated "deep thinking space" which minimized distractions and featured tools that supported his concentration (eg., ambient music playing in the background) which he retreated to when needing to address complex bottlenecks. This environmental adaptation helped Jason maintain the focused physical and mental state he needed in order to best engage in effective dependency resolution.
Specialized Prioritization Frameworks
Beyond these fundamental prioritization frameworks, there are specialized approaches that are particularly helpful for managing specific situations or challenges.
MoSCoW Method for Project Planning
The MoSCoW Method is especially useful when you are first starting a project. It helps prevent you from overbuilding and also helps ensure that you deliver first what matters most:
M - Must Have: Necessities without which the project will fail
S - Should Have: Important features that enhance your project's value but aren't essential for initial delivery.
C - Could Have: Desirable features to include in your project if time and resources permit
W - Won't Have: Features that will be explicitly excluded from the project at this time (you could add these later on if your project needs change)
The MoSCoW Method framework can be likened to a chef determining which elements are essential to include in a dish versus which are optional enhancements. It helps you establish priorities at the project level before diving into task-level prioritization.
From an embodied perspective, the MoSCoW method can help reduce the anxiety that often accompanies large projects. By explicitly categorizing elements as "Won't Have," we give our bodies permission to release the tension of trying to include everything. This creates a physiological state more conducive to focused work on what truly matters.
Energy-Based Prioritization for Regulatory Challenges
This approach seeks to match tasks to your energy levels as they fluctuate throughout the day:
High Energy Tasks: Complex, creative, or analytical work requiring full focus
Medium Energy Tasks: Routine work requiring some concentration
Low Energy Tasks: Simple, straightforward tasks with minimal mental load
For many people with regulatory challenges, which may be caused by a wide variety of conditions including neurodiversity, trauma history, mood disorders, chronic health conditions, etc., energy levels may fluctuate significantly throughout the day. Such energy fluctuations are not simply "in people's heads" but are instead often rooted in physical body states and rhythms that are quite fundamental and non-negotiable. It doesn't matter what techniques you try to use to squeeze out more productivity! If your body doesn't have enough energy to engage in productive work at a given time, then such work won't happen at that time. At such times of energy depletion, it is important to stop efforts to work and instead to rest and engage in restorative practices that will help ensure that adequate energy becomes available in the future. When we learn to work with rather than against our natural bodily rhythms and cycles, we often produce better quality work with less perceived effort.
To implement energy-based prioritization effectively, I encourage clients to develop interoceptive awareness, which is the ability to sense and interpret one's internal bodily signals. By checking in with your body throughout the day, you can learn to recognize your unique energy patterns and identify the physical sensations that indicate your different energy states.
I'll share a basic interoceptive awareness practice here that you can begin using immediately. However, understand that the development of interoceptive awareness is a complex topic which requires more space than will fit in this post.
Let me illustrate how this works in practice: Sarah, a writer with significant hour-to-hour energy fluctuations, transformed her productivity by aligning her tasks with her energy patterns. She reserved her morning hours (her peak energy time) for creative writing, scheduled meetings and emails to occur at midday, and saved administrative tasks for the late afternoon when her creative energy naturally waned and she was best off doing something repetitive. By respecting her body's natural rhythms, Sarah found not only greater productivity but also reduced stress and improved well-being.
Sarah used a simple body scan technique to develop her interoceptive awareness that she practiced at different times throughout the day. She would take 30 seconds to notice the sensations in her body, scanning herself from head to toe and paying particular attention to her level of physical tension, her mental clarity, and her emotional state. This quick check-in helped Sarah recognize which energy state she was in, allowing her to select tasks that best matched her current capacity.
Interest-Based Prioritization for Regulatory Challenges
This approach acknowledges the power of intrinsic motivation:
High Interest Tasks: Work that naturally engages your attention
Moderate Interest Tasks: Work that, while not fascinating, isn't aversive
Low Interest Tasks: Work that requires you to expend significant effort in order to maintain your focus
People with regulatory challenges often experience "interest-based nervous systems" where their motivation is disproportionately affected by their intrinsic interests. For an example of what this looks like, consider a chef who performs better when cooking dishes they love and worse when making dishes that they don't love but which sell well. Applying this interest-based framework helps you leverage your natural interests to best maintain your momentum and engagement.
From the embodied perspective, it's interesting and useful to notice how interest manifests physically in our bodies. When we're engaged in high-interest tasks, our posture often improves, our breathing deepens, and our nervous system maintains an optimal state of arousal; neither too activated nor too withdrawn. This physiological state supports sustained attention and creative thinking. Conversely, when faced with low-interest tasks, many people experience physical sensations of resistance including muscular tension and restlessness, or a feeling of heaviness.
The key insight isn't that you should strive to only do those tasks that interest you, but instead to strategically schedule the tasks you need to complete based on how they interest you. For example, I've taught clients to create "task sandwiches" where they place a low-interest task in between two high-interest tasks. This works because momentum from completing the first high-interest task can help them engage the less interesting middle-task, and because the follow-on high-interest task provides further motivation to complete the middle lower-interest task so as to get to that final high-interest task.
Some of my clients also use physical anchoring techniques to help maintain engagement during low-interest tasks—for example, using a specific seated position, holding an object, or working in a particular location that has been arranged to assist with completing focused work. Such environmental and physical anchors can help you maintain a more even and regulated state even when the task itself doesn't naturally capture your attention.
When Prioritization Gets Stuck: Addressing Decision Paralysis
One of the most common challenges I see in my clinical practice is decision paralysis around prioritization. This happens when:
All tasks seem equally important
The stakes feel too high to risk making a wrong choice
There are too many variables to consider
Perfectionism demands the "optimal" sequence
This paralysis is particularly common for those with regulatory challenges, anxiety, or perfectionism, where executive function difficulties or fear of mistakes can make prioritization decisions feel overwhelming.
Again, it's important to stress that such paralysis isn't just "in your head", but instead has physiological roots in the body. When we're faced with too many options or high-stakes decisions, our bodies become stressed and our stress responses negatively impact our decision-making capabilities. When we become stressed, our body's fear-based threat detection system naturally narrows our attentional focus so that we can only focus on what feels threatening. This response is a survival instinct that forces us to prioritize immediate threat at the expense of paying attention to longer-term priorities. When we find ourselves in this stressed state it is nearly impossible to thoughtfully prioritize our work.
I've observed in my clinical practice that the relationship between physiological states and decision-making capacity is complex. Your specific regulatory challenges will often best benefit from carefully tailored coping strategies which are based on your individual needs.
Since we don't have the opportunity here and now to help you discover what coping strategies will work best for you, here are some general strategies that many people find helpful for breaking through prioritization paralysis:
Pause and regulate first: Before attempting to prioritize, take three calming deep breaths to activate your parasympathetic nervous system. This physiological reset helps create the conditions for better decision-making. Feel your feet on the ground and/or notice the sensations of contact with your chair. This grounding practice can help shift your nervous system from threat response mode towards a more calm and balanced state.
Set a time limit for deciding: Give yourself 5 minutes to make the best prioritization decisions you can, then move forward. Use a timer to help insure that you don't exceed the time limit.
Use the "if I could only do one" technique: Ask yourself, "If I could only complete one task today, which task would make the biggest difference?" Then ask about a second task, and so on. As you consider each option, pay attention to physical sensations in your body that might signal alignment or resistance.
Create default patterns: Establish habitual standard ways that you approach common and repeating types of work so as to reduce decision fatigue. Consider creating physical reminders of these patterns in your workspace.
Acknowledge "good enough": Remember that a good prioritization system executed consistently beats a perfect system that you have trouble implementing. Notice if perfectionist urges create physical tension in your body, then use that awareness as a cue to help remind yourself to refocus towards making progress rather than holding out for perfection.
Start somewhere, then adjust: Begin with any reasonable task, then reassess priorities once you have momentum. Physical movement can help interrupt the paralysis cycle. Even standing up and stretching can create enough state change to help you refresh your perspective.
Robert, a consultant with significant decision anxiety, would spend hours trying to optimize his task sequence. I helped him implement a simple 5-minute rule: after a brief regulation pause, he would review his task list, apply the Eisenhower Matrix, and make his best prioritization decisions within 5 minutes. While the decisions weren't always perfect, the time Robert saved by avoiding paralysis more than compensated him for any minor sequencing inefficiencies that may have been present.
Robert's case offers a great example of how our bodies can know things before we become consciously aware of those things. Robert noticed that when he was getting stuck in overthinking his breathing had become shallow, his shoulders were hunched, and he would felt tension in his forehead. These physical cues became valuable early warning signs for Robert, prompting him to use his regulation strategies to reduce his sense of paralysis.
Two Ready-Made Prioritization Approaches
With all these frameworks to choose from, you might be wondering: "Where do I start if I just want a simple approach that works?" I've found that having a default algorithm can be incredibly helpful, especially when decision paralysis is a concern.
I offer two "starter"" algorithms below to help you begin implementing these prioritization concepts. However, truly effective prioritization ultimately goes beyond these starting points to help you develop a personalized system that works best for your unique situation.
The Beginner's Algorithm: Simple but Effective
If you're feeling overwhelmed by choices or just want a straightforward place to start, this algorithm incorporates the most crucial elements of prioritization in a fixed sequence:
First, ground yourself with a brief body scan
Take three deep breaths, feeling your feet on the floor
Notice any areas of tension in your body
Allow your shoulders to relax and your breathing to deepen
This physical regulation creates the conditions for better decision-making
Next, identify any true time constraints
What absolutely must be done today or tomorrow?
What has a fixed deadline that cannot be moved?
What opportunities will disappear if not acted on quickly?
Then, identify any dependency blockers
What tasks are others waiting on you to complete?
What must be finished before other important work can proceed?
What is creating bottlenecks in your workflow?
From what remains, select the highest-value, lowest-effort task
What will give you the biggest impact with the least effort?
What can create a "quick win" to build momentum?
What will significantly move your project forward?
Check in with your current physical and emotional state
What type of task does your current energy level support?
Are you in a state that supports focused work, creative thinking, or social interaction?
Select a task that aligns with your current state when possible
After completing that task, repeat the process
Return to step 1 and reassess what now needs attention
Remember that priorities shift as work progresses
This approach acknowledges that external time constraints and dependencies often must be addressed first, then leverages the psychological benefit of quick wins for motivation. The beauty of this algorithm is its simplicity; It doesn't require you to choose between frameworks or weigh multiple factors simultaneously. The addition of physical grounding and state awareness techniques brings in the embodied perspective that makes this approach particularly effective for those with regulatory challenges.
The Project-Focused Advanced Algorithm: More Nuanced but Still Structured
Once you're comfortable with the basic algorithm, this more nuanced approach is particularly effective for prioritizing tasks within a single project or domain:
First, ground yourself with a brief body scan
Take a few moments to settle your body and mind
Use a brief breathing practice or body scan
Create the physiological conditions for clear thinking
Map dependencies first
Identify all foundational tasks that must happen before others can proceed
Mark tasks that unblock multiple subsequent tasks as "high leverage points"
Create a preliminary sequence based on these dependencies
Layer in time constraints
Identify firm external deadlines that must be respected
Note any timing windows (tasks that must happen on specific days or times)
Adjust your dependency-based sequence to accommodate these time constraints
Apply the value/effort filter
For tasks that could be done in parallel (no dependency conflicts)
Prioritize higher value, lower effort tasks earlier when possible
This builds momentum and creates early victories
Consider your personal factors as final adjustments
Energy patterns: Match complex tasks to high-energy periods
Interest levels: Use engaging tasks to build momentum or recover from difficult work
Context requirements: Group tasks that share similar tools, locations, or mental modes
Physical needs: Schedule tasks that accommodate your body's needs (movement, rest, etc.)
Schedule reassessment points
After completing key dependency-unlocking tasks
When approaching interim deadlines
At natural transition points in your day
When you notice significant shifts in your physical or emotional state
Create environmental supports for your plan
Set up your physical workspace to support the first planned task
Remove potential distractions before starting
Prepare any physical tools or resources you'll need
Create visual cues or reminders of your prioritized sequence
This more advanced approach integrates classical prioritization technique with embodied awareness, creating a comprehensive system that addresses both the logical structure of your work and the physiological conditions needed to support your optimal performance.
Making These Approaches Work for You
Whichever algorithm you choose, remember that the goal is progress, not perfection. A "good enough" prioritization approach that you consistently use will outperform a theoretically perfect system that overwhelms you.
As you practice, you'll naturally begin to internalize these decision processes. What starts as a deliberate algorithm you consciously decide to follow will gradually become more intuitive and second-nature for you, like a chef who no longer needs to consciously think about which dish to prepare first but instead just does it correctly.
From my work teaching these methods to many clients, I've appreciated that the development of prioritization intuition is a trainable skill. Your journey from conscious application of prioritization frameworks to embodied and intuitive knowing will follow a natural progression that can be systematically developed.
This intuition isn't simply cognitive but instead involves your whole being including your thoughtful cognitive knowing and your physical and intuitive knowing. Experienced chefs develop bodily intuition about the timing and prioritization of their many tasks. They feel in their bodies when a dish needs attention, when to start the next component, when to check for doneness. In the same way, as you practice prioritization skills, you may begin to notice physical sensations that accompany your good and bad prioritization decisions. Perhaps you'll experience a sense of calm certainty in your chest when you feel confident you've chosen the right task, or a pit in your stomach when you realize you're avoiding an important but challenging task. Such felt bodily signals often point out what will work and what will not work much faster than your conscious mind could figure it out.
The key insight here is that prioritization is not a one-time event but an ongoing process. As you complete tasks, as new information emerges, and as your energy levels change throughout the day, priorities naturally shift. The most effective prioritizers are those who recognize this fluidity and regularly reassess what matters most right now.
The Limitations of Task-Level Prioritization
It's important to acknowledge that the frameworks discussed so far work best when prioritizing tasks within a single project or focus area. The reality for most of us is far more complex: we're juggling multiple projects across different life domains, each with their own priorities and values.
This is where task-level prioritization reaches its limits. When faced with competing priorities across different aspects of your life, including work projects, family needs, personal health, community commitments, etc., you need higher-level prioritization frameworks to help guide your decisions.
In my next post, I'll explore how to navigate these complex prioritization decisions through Values-Based Goals, which is to say, by understanding how your various projects connect to the deeper values you want to live by. Such values are not just abstract concepts; they are actually felt and experienced in the body, providing powerful guidance you can count on when prioritization becomes complex.
After considering how your values shape your prioritization decisions, I'll help you think through how to implement all of these prioritization approaches through a practical system of backlogs and daily to-do lists that can represent the full complexity of your life. As we progress through this series, We'll continue to explore how physiological states and productivity are interconnected in ways that traditional productivity approaches often overlook.
Moving Forward: Implementing Prioritization Today
For now, I encourage you to experiment with using these prioritization frameworks to help you figure out how to prioritize tasks belonging to individual projects you may be working on while paying close attention to how your physical and emotional states can both guide and limit or enable your progress:
Choose one active project with multiple tasks
Before prioritizing, take a moment to check in with your body—notice your breathing, posture, and any areas of tension
Apply at least two different prioritization frameworks from this post
Notice how different frameworks highlight different priorities
Pay attention to any physical sensations or emotional responses that arise as you consider different frameworks
Select the framework that seems most appropriate for this particular project, using both logical analysis and your embodied responses as guides
Create your prioritized task list and begin with the top items
Like any complex skill, developing your prioritization practices requires you both to understand the decision frameworks and to apply them consistently. As you work through your prioritized tasks, pay attention not just to your productivity but also to how your body responds to working on different tasks at different times of day. Notice which types of work energize you and which deplete you. Observe how your emotional state affects your capacity to take on different types of tasks. These observations will provide valuable insights for your future prioritization decisions.
Remember that prioritization, like cooking, is both science and art. The frameworks provide structure, but your personal judgment, informed by your unique goals, constraints, values, physical patterns, and emotional rhythms will always be an essential ingredient. As you practice prioritization, you'll develop your own style and preferences, your unique "chef's intuition" for deciding what matters most right now. The goal isn't perfect prioritization but rather thoughtful, intentional choices that keep you moving toward what matters most, in a way that works with your natural rhythms rather than against them.
The prioritization approaches I've shared represent foundational practices. These can be adapted and deepened as you develop a more comprehensive productivity system that truly honors your unique physical and emotional patterns.
This is the fourth in a series exploring executive function and productivity. In my next post, I'll examine "Values-Based Goals" – how to align your projects and tasks with what matters most across different areas of your life, including how our values are experienced in our bodies and emotions.