Alignment | This Week’s Focus: Priorities

Jennifer McNeil
Jan 11
5 min read

“Align your choices, shape your life.”

Moving through the library, you realise it is not about speed, but about listening. Each step, each choice of book, shapes the narrative of your life. The art is knowing not just what to read, but when, and allowing the ones that wait their turn to rest quietly, secure in the knowledge that their moment will come.

Throughout January, our focus is on Alignment, and this week we’re zeroing in on Priorities.

In today’s busy world, it’s easy to get caught up in urgent tasks and constant distractions, leaving little time or energy for what truly matters. Learning to recognise and act on priorities is about noticing where your attention goes, adjusting your actions, and focusing on what genuinely counts.

This week, the focus is on priorities—practical, observable ways to bring awareness into your daily life. By paying attention to how you spend your time, energy, and attention, you can make small adjustments that create clarity and alignment with your values.

1. Notice a task taking more time than expected

Time often slips away unnoticed. A meeting might run longer than planned, or a seemingly minor task could take more effort than anticipated. By simply noticing when something takes longer than expected, you gain insight into where your attention and energy are being spent.

This awareness allows you to ask questions such as: Is this task worth the time it’s taking? Can I adjust my approach? Small observations like these help you make more conscious choices throughout the day.

2. Choose an activity that boosts your energy

Not all tasks are equal—some drain us, while others energise and motivate us. Choosing an activity that lifts your energy, even briefly, can set the tone for your entire day.

Whether it’s stepping outside for fresh air, doing a short stretch, or engaging in a creative task, these energy-boosting activities reinforce awareness of what supports your focus and wellbeing. By deliberately choosing them, you prioritise your own vitality and capacity to act intentionally.

3. Spot a distraction and redirect your attention

Distractions are a constant in modern life—from phone notifications to wandering thoughts. Catching yourself in the act and redirecting attention to what matters is a simple but powerful way to maintain focus.

The act of noticing a distraction creates a pause. In that pause, you choose: do I continue with this, or do I redirect to what aligns with my priorities? Regularly practising this skill strengthens your ability to manage attention, an essential element in prioritisation.

4. Skip something that isn’t important

Saying no or skipping low-value tasks is one of the most effective ways to protect your time and energy. Not everything demands attention, and recognising which tasks do not serve your goals is key.

Skipping unnecessary tasks frees mental and physical space for actions that truly matter. Over time, this simple practice can create clearer boundaries, stronger focus, and more intentional action throughout your day.

5. Pause before starting a task to check it’s a priority

Before diving into work or a new activity, take a moment to check: Is this the best use of my time right now?

This pause prevents automatic, reactive behaviour and ensures your actions are aligned with what truly matters. A brief moment of reflection before action is enough to reinforce conscious prioritisation, and it encourages deliberate decision-making rather than habit-driven responses.

6. Notice when someone else’s priorities affect you

It’s common for external demands—family, colleagues, friends—to influence our attention and energy. Noticing when someone else’s priorities are shaping your decisions is a crucial step in reclaiming focus.

This awareness allows you to make deliberate choices about how to respond. You might still engage with others’ needs, but with clarity about the impact on your own priorities. The goal is to balance responsiveness with intentionality, rather than being constantly reactive.

7. Celebrate a small win or achievement

Acknowledging progress, no matter how minor, is a powerful way to reinforce priorities. When you celebrate even small achievements, you draw attention to what matters, encourage ongoing effort, and boost motivation.

This practice shifts focus from reactive, task-driven habits to purposeful awareness. By recognising what’s going well, you strengthen confidence in your ability to manage attention and energy intentionally.

8. Adjust a habit that drains energy or focus

We all have habits that quietly consume our time and energy. Whether it’s checking emails too often, overcommitting, or getting lost in low-value activities, these patterns can undermine priorities.

Noticing and adjusting these habits—even in small ways—creates meaningful improvements in attention and energy management. Over time, these adjustments become second nature, allowing you to operate more intentionally and align daily actions with your values.

Why Awareness Matters More Than Lists

Priorities are not about making longer to-do lists or working harder—they are about knowing where your energy goes. Awareness is the first step to control.

By noticing patterns in how you spend your time and energy, you can:

Identify tasks that are consuming more resources than they deserve
Recognise activities that energise and support you
Spot distractions and low-value behaviours that divert attention
Make intentional adjustments to habits, focus, and boundaries

Even small, repeated observations compound over time, creating clarity and alignment without extra pressure.

How to Use These Challenges in Daily Life

The eight challenges are designed to be simple, observable, and actionable - they’re meant to be noticed and acted upon:

Notice and tick off: Mentally acknowledge when you complete an action.
Share lightly in a group: For those who are part of supportive spaces, a brief message, emoji, or acknowledgment can reinforce awareness.
Track patterns: If desired, tools like the Alignment Journal provide a gentle visual framework to see patterns over time.

The key is small, consistent awareness. Even noticing one or two actions per day strengthens the habit of prioritisation.

Supporting Tools: Alignment Journal and Breakthrough Hub

While the challenges can be completed on their own, resources like the Alignment Journal offer additional structure. The journal allows you to visualise your actions, track recurring patterns, and notice where attention and energy are going.

The Breakthrough Hub can also be a useful supporting tool, offering inspiration, discussion, and connection with others practicing awareness of priorities. However, the focus remains on real-life observation and small actions, not analysis or reflection.

Small Actions, Big Awareness

The power of these eight challenges comes from simple, observable action. You don’t need to overhaul your life; small shifts and daily awareness build momentum over time.

Practising these actions consistently helps you:

Focus attention on tasks that truly matter
Reduce energy wasted on low-value activities
Build confidence in deliberate decision-making
Strengthen alignment between actions and personal priorities

Each challenge is an opportunity to notice, adjust, and reinforce what matters most.

Bringing Awareness into Every Day

Priorities are often discussed as abstract concepts, but these eight challenges make them practical and tangible. Each one invites a moment of awareness and action:

Pausing before tasks ensures deliberate choices
Celebrating small wins reinforces progress
Redirecting attention builds focus
Adjusting habits protects energy

The repetition of small, intentional actions gradually strengthens your ability to prioritise naturally, creating a sustainable rhythm of awareness and alignment.

Final Thoughts: Make Priorities Visible

This week, focus on noticing your priorities in action. Each of the eight challenges provides a practical way to observe, adjust, and act. The goal is consistent awareness.

By spotting tasks that overrun, choosing energy-boosting actions, redirecting distractions, skipping what doesn’t matter, pausing intentionally, noticing external influences, celebrating wins, and adjusting draining habits, you take control of your attention and energy.

Small actions create big awareness, and that awareness is the foundation for living intentionally, aligned with what truly matters. Resources like the Alignment Journal or support spaces such as the Breakthrough Hub can complement your practice, creating real change in everyday observation and choice.

This week, make priorities visible. Notice them. Act on them. And give yourself credit for every intentional step you take toward a more aligned, focused, and energised life.

Next Week, we focus on Boundaries. Until then, prioritise you.