Priorities spiralling out of control?

We've all been there. But what to do when those priorities are all equally important? Normally, starting with the greatest return seems best - but let's try approach from left field.

We'll use the Debt Snowball.

It's used when your credit cards are spiralling out of control. Rank the cards by balance due, keep paying the minimum monthly payment (ongoing maintenance), and focus all your attention on removing one card at a time. The key twist?

Start with the smallest balance, not the largest.

With this, you'll quickly pay off the card with the smallest balance. That's a huge step forward - a key victory. But you've also released the minimum payment.

Which gives you more money to pay off the second card quicker.

This approach has three fundamental assumptions:

1 - the challenge is large and requires continual motivation.

2 - every card requires maintenance - the minimum payment - so the more of those you have, the more your funds are dispersed.

3 - removing the largest debt takes the most work

How does that relate to priorities?

The assumptions are identical. With too many priorities we risk becoming overwhelmed and procrastinating - so motivation is important. And every task requires ongoing maintenance.

Any unfinished task is a burden - and the larger the task, the more maintenance.

It needs reminders, explanations, justifications, negotiations - there's even the weight of knowing you still have to do it. But if the task is small and you complete it, you avoid all that maintenance. You'll also feel better and have a sense of progress which adds motivation.