Have you ever had one of those weeks where you’re busy nonstop, but still feel like you didn’t actually finish anything?

You’re answering questions, chasing details, fixing things that weren’t even on your radar that morning. You have a team. You have a task list. And somehow, it’s still all on you.

If that sounds familiar, you’re not behind – you’re just stuck in reaction mode.

And one of the most common reasons?
 Vague priorities.

 

Wait…What Are Vague Priorities?

They’re the tasks that look fine on your list… until it’s time to do them:

  • “Work on content”
  • “Check in with the team”
  • “Deal with inbox”
  • “Follow up with clients”

You write them down. You know what they mean. But when your day starts, they’re too fuzzy to act on.

And every time you have to pause and think, “Okay, but what’s the next step?” – that’s energy out the window.

Decision fatigue. Delays. More tab-switching than actual progress.

 

Case in Point: Meet Rachel

Rachel runs a consulting firm with five employees. Smart, organized, high-capacity. Her calendar was color-coded and packed to the brim.

And yet – she was still working nights.

When we dug into it, nearly every task on her list was vague:

  • “Client work.” 
  • “Marketing.” 
  • “Check in with Sam.” 
  • “Start slide deck.”

There were no deadlines. No outcomes. Nothing concrete.

Once we rewrote those into outcome-based priorities, put time on the calendar for them, and moved a few off her plate entirely? 

She freed up eight hours the very next week.

But the real win was when she told me, “I shut my laptop at 5:30 and didn’t open it again until morning. That hasn’t happened in months.”

 

3 Signs Vague Priorities Are Costing You

Let’s be honest: vague priorities don’t look like a problem. They feel like progress! But here’s how to spot when they’re sabotaging your time:

  1. You keep moving the same tasks from one day to the next.
     They never get done – because they’re too unclear to start.
  2. You’re mid-task when someone interrupts, and you don’t know how to get back to it.
    No clear finish line = nothing ever feels finished.
  3. Your team constantly needs check-ins to know what’s important.
     Because if you’re fuzzy, they’re lost.

 

So How Do You Fix It?

It’s not about doing more. It’s about being clearer.

Here’s how to get your priorities working for you, not against you:

1. Make It Concrete

Change “Work on proposal” to “Draft 1 pg Q3 retainer offer for XYZ .” If it doesn’t describe an actual action you could do, rewrite it.

2. Decide If It Matters This Week

Important doesn’t always mean urgent. If it’s not something you’ll touch this week, park it elsewhere.

3. Assign It a Home

If it’s not on your calendar or someone else’s task list, it’s living rent-free in your brain. And that mental clutter adds up fast.

 

You Don’t Need Another Tool. You Need a Better System

Clear priorities don’t mean longer days. They mean smoother ones.

When your priorities are concrete:

  • Your team steps up without needing you at every turn
  • You stop second-guessing your day
  • You finally have time to lead, not just react

And maybe – just maybe – you stop logging back on after dinner.

 

But If You Don’t Clean This Up…

That endless ping-pong between Slack, email, and your to-do list?

It doesn’t end on its own.

Without clearer priorities, you’ll stay in clean-up mode:

  • Your team will keep stalling out.
  • You’ll keep playing cleanup crew.
  • Projects will get halfway done.
  • Revenue will stay stuck.
     

And that vision you had when you started this business? It keeps getting bumped to “later.”

Until you fix this, everything still comes back to you.

 

Want Help Getting Out of the Weeds?

If your brain feels like it’s juggling 47 tabs at once, my Get It Out of Your Head session is made for you.

It’s a 90-minute strategy sprint where we:

  • Clear the clutter
  • Spot what’s actually draining your time
  • Build a simple plan that gives you back 10+ hours a week – without sacrificing quality or control

You’ll walk away with more space, more focus, and the clarity you need to finally move the needle – without burning out.

Ready to stop reacting and start leading again?
 [Book your session here.]

 

 

 

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