We already know a lot about prioritising and how to do it. There are so many tools out there that can help us sort our goals. We could:

Draw up an Urgent/Important matrix
Pop sticky notes on the wall and move them about
Use some software designed for tasks and projects
Write a series of lists and classify each item
Tackle the most difficult task first thing in the morning (yummy frog for breakfast)
Get a big jar and put rocks, gravel and sand in it
Practice the "5 D's" – Do it, Delegate it, Dump it, Defer it, or Diminish it.

No, prioritising is not hard because you don't know how to do it. You are spoilt for choice when it comes to techniques.

It can be tough to do because when we are overwhelmed, feeling stressed and under pressure with too many things vying for our time, we lose the mental capacity to prioritise - and, along with that, our perspective.

If your brain was a car yard, you could think of its Prefrontal Cortex - the bit that looks after things like reasoning, problem-solving, comprehension, impulse control, creativity and perseverance - as that massive, slightly intimidating gas guzzler you see at the front of the lot.

It's much like the Mercedes-Benz G 65 AMG (pictured), which the International Driving Authority tells us "was designed as an army transport. Twelve cylinders and 630 horsepower in one V-engine — that’s too much for a four-wheel drive car and too little for a vehicle weighing 3.2 tons. The stated fuel consumption figure of 17 litres per 100 km in a combined cycle may tend to significantly deviate in urban driving situations".

Now, I'm not exactly sure what all of that sentence means, except that, like our prefrontal cortex, it's a very powerful vehicle, but even with a really big tank, it needs constant refuelling. So, the complex planning, decision-making and reasoning involved in getting clear on priorities need to be carried out on a full tank. Otherwise, you don't have the energy to devote to this fuel-heavy work. And FYI - it's also why it's hard to say no to that chocolate bar around three in the afternoon - you need the energy and don't have a lot of impulse control.

That's why prioritising prioritising matters.

Whatever method you use, make sure that is the first thing you attend to. I had a friend who would write a list of tasks at the end of the day. She would justify taking the time and not rushing out the door to get to her other responsibilities by reminding herself, "Tomorrow-me will be thankful for tonight-me writing this down". In the morning, she reviewed everything on her list and prioritised once she felt rested and refuelled.

One issue with how we think about prioritisation is that it tends to only be about a list of tasks and activities we need to achieve. Get this done first ... then do that.

But what if we thought about our priorities a little more broadly? What if we considered prioritising not just tasks but our relationships? Are we prioritising how we connect and who we connect with? Are we thinking about how we work now and how we want to work in the future? Are we considering how our priorities align with our values?

We write lists and use acronyms and models to help us prioritise what matters because we tend to favour short-term wins over long-term gains. Our brains are addicted to the little hits of completion. I'll get that email done before I start that other important thing. Tick.

So what are the things that you wouldn't put on your list of tasks, but are important for achieving your goals?Maybe it's scheduling time to connect with someone in a different part of the business, or doing some development, or popping in a weekly reflective walk into your calendar, or calling your best friend or partner at lunchtime to let them know you are thinking of them.

Very few of us have too few tasks to do at work. And that doesn't look like changing. So lets look beyond that endless conveyor belt and build in some priorities that will enrich the experience. It doesn't need to take a lot of time. And you may surprise yourself with how much more productive, healthy and happy you will be.

Prioritise prioritising and surprise yourself