Don’t make time; set priorities

If you’re like me, you’ve found yourself too often saying these words: “I don’t have time for that.” It rolls off the tongue as if hours slipped through our fingers. But what we’re usually describing isn’t a shortage of time at all. It’s chaos. The rush of being pulled in ten different directions at once. The noise of half-finished tasks, crowded calendars, and constant interruptions. And in that chaos, the important work gets crowded out.

Urgency Always Finds a Way

Here’s the proof: when something truly urgent hits your desk, it gets done. Emails get left unanswered, meetings shift, even dinner gets delayed. The urgent thing gets priority. That’s not about suddenly discovering extra hours—it’s about reordering what matters. Being “too busy” is just another way of saying you’ve let everything carry the same weight. And that’s why the wrong things often win your attention.

Shifting from Time to Priorities

Instead of saying “I don’t have time,” I started saying, “That’s not a priority right now.” It sounds small, but the shift is profound. This is the core of working with clarity instead of chaos, and it deserves the most attention.

First, it sharpens my own focus. A long task list feels endless when measured against hours in the day. But when I label the few items that truly deserve priority, the fog clears. I know what needs my best energy, and what can wait.

Second, it changes how I communicate with others. Saying I’m too busy leaves the door shut. But telling someone their request isn’t a priority right now leaves space for dialogue. I might not fully understand the significance and need a little persuading to make it a priority.

Third, it reframes how I value time itself. Time isn’t a void to stuff full. It’s an asset I allocate. When I stop racing the clock, I can treat hours like a budget—limited, and best spent on the highest return. That mindset makes it easier to decline the tasks that nibble away at energy but deliver little value.

Finally, it gives me permission to end my day differently. With a time-based mindset, I used to stretch evenings late, cramming in one more thing. With a priority mindset, I close my laptop when the important work is done. That shift not only preserves energy, it creates room for creativity—writing, thinking, research—that never fit into the crowded version of my schedule.

This single phrase—that’s not a priority right now—isn’t only about saying no. It helps me filter distractions disguised as obligations and decline them without guilt. It’s about being honest with myself and with others about where my attention belongs. And it has transformed not just what I finish, but how I feel about finishing it.

The Real Benefits of a Priority Mindset

When I think in terms of priorities, my day starts differently. I begin with the work that demands the sharpest focus—deep writing, hard decisions, strategic choices. Later hours, when energy dips, are for lighter tasks. This order flips the old habit of rushing the hard work at the end of the day, and the results are better by miles.

But the impact goes beyond scheduling. Priorities make me proactive instead of reactive. They help me filter out distractions that pose as obligations. They make it easier to communicate boundaries and to end my day with the important work done, instead of guilty busywork. The result is more energy, more space for creativity, and stronger productivity overall.

Busyness is chaos. Priorities bring clarity. You’ll never make more time, but you can always set better priorities—and the payoff is a clearer head, better work, and the freedom to use your time with intention.