3 Exercises To Get Clear On Your Priorities

Over the past 6 years of writing - the "Life Pie" exercise is the 1 I get the most questions about.

In a world where it feels like everything should be a priority, often nothing becomes a priority.

That's where the Life Pie exercise comes in handy -- and there is more than 1 way to apply it.

Here are 3 exercises to clear on your priorities.

The Life Pie

The Life Pie exercise helps you identify the 3-6 sections of your life that you want to make up your:

  • Time

  • Energy

  • Happiness

  • Purpose

  • Identity

Think about…

  • Who do you want to be? What does that person do?

  • What do you want to make time for?

  • What are your priorities?

Examples of pieces: Family, friends, work, health, hobbies, home, etc.

I recommend having…

  • Minimum of 3: to diversify your identity & happiness

  • Maximum of 6: to get really clear on who you want to be

Consider what activities could be in each of these pieces and what it looks like to take action on it.

(health could include sleep, journaling, working out, therapy)

Focus on drawing your ideal Life Pie, recognizing what you’re doing right now is maybe not where you want to be.

Hopefully this exercise gets you closer to the life you want to be living.

The Work Pie

This exercise can also be applied to your work.

Consider:

  • What are you responsible for on a daily/weekly/monthly basis?

  • What logistical tasks add value to your responsibilities? (emails, meetings, etc.)

  • Do you want to make time for continuous improvement projects or networking with people?

This could help you get clear on what work is value added and business critical, and what reports, meetings, or tasks are not.

The People Pie

We can also apply it to relationships in our life.

Consider:

  • Who do you want to prioritize connecting with?

  • Who do you keep in mind when you’re making decisions?

  • Do you want to make time for meeting new people or networking?

  • Who would you be bummed you fell out of touch with?

In the era of social media - it can feel like we are connecting with friends by liking their picture, but social media doesn't always tell the whole story — making a text, call, or voice note worthwhile to get the unfiltered version.


These 3 exercises help you:

  • Get clear on priorities

  • Confidently say yes or no to something

  • Identify what to make time for on your calendar

Reminder - these pies evolve over time. Let them — as they’re likely getting you closer to the person you want to be.

Tell me: which Pie Exercise is your favorite and why?