Priority is Binary

10min • 12 November 2024

What if I would tell you that priority has no plural?
For many people that idea might sound intimidating or outright confusing. We talk so much about priorities, how can there be no plural?

In this article, I want to challenge the idea of multiple priorities and convince you that, contrary to gender, priority is in fact binary.

Common Misconceptions

Let's first start by discussing some common misconceptions when it comes to priority.
I'm sure you've all heard phrases like "What are your top three priorities right now?", "Everything is high priority", "This is P0 and this is also P0".

We've complicated something that should be simple. We create elaborate priority matrices, assign numbers from 1 to 5, use labels like 'critical', 'high', 'medium', and somehow still end up paralysed, juggling multiple 'top priorities' at once.

It doesn't really matter which scale we use, because the issue lies in the scale itself. We've twisted the concept of priority into something it was never meant to be - a rating system for importance. The uncomfortable truth is that priority isn't a rating - it's a decision. At any given moment, you can only focus on one thing. Priority, therefore, is binary. You either focus on something or you don't. There is no such thing as low or medium priority.

That's not to say that we shouldn't use scales at all. There's a reason why tools like the Eisenhower Matrix became so popular. In order to make a proper decision, we need some kind of rating system.

Another common mistake is that people confuse urgency with priority. Just because something is urgent doesn't mean it's important and vice versa. Also, generally speaking, looking only at urgency and importance, our decision making process is very limited and we often end up mindlessly checking of tasks without any significance.

The Problem

In Germany, we have a popular saying that loosely translates to "You can't dance at two weddings at the same time". This accurately depicts the dilemma that we're facing when trying to juggle multiple things in parallel. We're everywhere, but nowhere at the same time.

We live in a world where it's expected to multitask and switch context all the time.
The problem is, we're not really made for either of those. Multitasking is a myth and we humans are innately bad at it and context switching comes with a huge hidden cost. Studies found that it takes 23 minutes on average to switch from one task to another. Crazy, right?

But the biggest problem is that if everything is a priority, nothing is. We eventually find ourselves in decision paralysis and have no clue what to do next. Not having a clear path forward puts a huge mental load on us and ultimately leads to frustration and burnout.

Choose Your Path

So it all comes down to making a decision. But that's easier said than done. There is a kind of psychological comfort in keeping options open. We fear making wrong decisions and regretting them later on. As a result, we often try to juggle multiple things at once.

But as we've already learned, multitasking does not work. Regardless of whether we want to or not, we can only ever focus on one thing at a time. Hence, not making a decision is a decision in itself. Even worse, it's a decision that often leads to a worse outcome.

The following graphic by waitbutwhy (new tab) is great to visualise why that's the case:

Think about all the decisions and paths you've already taken in your life. They led you to where you are now and cannot be changed. That's both good, but also unfortunate. If you always mindlessly picked whatever path presented to you, chances are you didn't quite enjoy all of them in hindsight.

The good news is, our future path is not set in stone yet. We have the power to actively decide which route we want to go. But, choosing the right path is crucial. Would you rather walk on 7/10 paths all the time or try to find the 10/10 one, even though you might fail sometimes?

Making a decision is choosing a path and by doing that, we ensure that we're making progress towards our actual goals.

First Things First

The word priority comes from Latin prior meaning "first". We only recently started abusing it to fit the ever growing complexity of modern life. We create overly complex systems just to keep track of all the ongoing things in order to figure out what to do next. But it doesn't have to be that hard! There's a very pragmatic antidote to that problem and it only requires you to follow three steps:

1. Create a list of all the things you have to or want to do. It works with both very detailed tasks as well as full projects. Just make sure you're more or less consistent.
2. Sort that list by importance, urgency or whatever metric you want to use. The goal is to get them in a reasonable order of execution.
3. Take the first item and ignore the rest. Make it your priority. Once you're done, repeat the process and pick the next priority.

Focusing on a single item and ignoring the rest can help you reduce cognitive load and focus more easily. If you think that's too drastic, maybe cut the first three and ignore the rest.

Over time, you will come to realise, that some items are just never going to be done and always pushed further down as the list grows. As hard as it might be at first, get rid of them. The bigger your list grows, the harder it is to keep track of everything and to sort it accordingly.

A Pragmatic Approach

Alright, so you're saying we are only allowed to do one thing at a time? How are we supposed to navigate modern day life where switching tasks is all too normal?

Well, yes and no. The whole idea of this article is not to limit your effectiveness, but enhance it. By understanding the binary nature of priority and making conscious decisions, we are able to reduce the cognitive load and deeply focus on one particular thing at a time. Hence, the first things first principle. But that doesn't mean, that we can't do multiple things per day, week or even month. We can, of course, switch between tasks. In fact, I switch between tasks all time and I'm doing just fine (although you should note that I'm neurodivergent and have an advantage when it comes to context switching).

The important part is to understand that not everything needs to be a priority.
We can have a single priority and still do other things before, after or in-between. After all, we're human beings, not machines. We have different energy levels throughout the day and usually juggle between at least work and private life. It therefore only makes sense to adjust our plans accordingly and be pragmatic at times.

The Benefits

Adopting these principles often comes with multiple benefits.
First of all, your overall quality of work is likely to improve. With less distraction and cognitive load, you should be able to better focus on your work. A clear path forward also ensures you can put all your effort into the things that truly matter to you. It can also create a sense of purpose and accomplishment.

In addition to quality, chances are high your overall productivity improves as well. Less context switching means less stress and less decision paralysis. With your tasks sorted out in a clear list, you will also probably have less issues managing your time and expectations.

Some studies even suggest that it leads to higher personal satisfaction and gives you a sense of progress.

Groups & Corporate Structures

Last but not least, I want to briefly touch on group situations and corporate structures. Binary priority works great when you're all by yourself, but what if more people are involved?

Generally speaking, priority remains binary no matter the size of the group, but individuals can of course have a different priority. Therefore, it's totally feasible to have multiple tasks running in parallel, as long as they align with the overall mission of the group.

In big companies, different departments fight for resources in order to reach their goals. This often first leads to the aforementioned problems resulting in overcomplicated roadmaps, bad communication and ultimately frustration.

This happens, because the people who actually do the projects are rarely the ones making the decisions. Ask yourself: If management can't figure out the priority, how should everyone else know what to do?
I'm not saying that whoever sits above you should decide what you do next, but they should at least give you a framework to figure it out yourself and own the decision. Once that's the case, the first things first principle will also work in big hierarchies.

Conclusion

I hope that at this point I was able to convince you of the binary nature of priority. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by too many things going on at the same time, you might even be able to relate to the struggles I shared.

Using the first things first principle can help you reduce cognitive load and increase your focus and productivity. Implementing a pragmatic approach will leave it feasible and balanced with your day-to-day liabilities.

If you're convinced, I challenge you to try it out! For the next week, every day, pick one single priority and let it guide your day. Then reflect on how it felt. Did you accomplish more? Were you more focused and less stressed? And don't forget to share your experience!