How to live by your values.
So much to do, and oh so little time…
We live in a busy society. Where there is always more work to do than the time we have to do it in. So we have to get good at prioritizing. It might be nice to look to our bosses or leaders to help us, but they aren't always good at it. They think it all needs to get done, so we go on an endless search for how to be more productive, we create endless to do lists, that leave us in "check the box" mode without feeling satisfied or successful a the end of the day. It's exhausting and overwhelming.
Living by your values can make you more productive
One hack to ending your day feeling more satisfied and accomplished is to align your work with your values.
I hear the collective groan and maybe some confusion as to exactly how to do that. I have some tips to help.
How to Live by your Values
What are my values anyway?
First, you need to know what your values are. There are SO many tips on the internet for this so I won't go into deep details, but below is an exercise that can take 10 minutes or less.
I recommend looking at your values every year, as they can change over time.
Find a list of values. (search on google)
Pick 10 that resonate with you (how you are when you're at your best or what you admire in others)
Get that list down to the top 3-5
My values are to the left.
Now What?
Next you MUST define what these values mean to you. If two people have the value of "connection" it may mean different things to each person. A few years ago I did an exercise led by an amazing coach friend of mine, Cam Swell. It opened my eyes about my own values, and helped me understand other people through the lens of their values.
For each value in your list, answer do the following:
Define the value and what it means for you. Don't be tempted to get a definition online, describe it in detail in your own words.
List examples of times where you were fully living into this value.
List examples of times where you were not living into this value.
Let's look at me and one of my top values, Connection.
Step 1:
Define the value in your own words.
Step 2:
List examples from your own life of what that value looks like.
Step 3:
List examples from you own life where you didn’t live into that value.
This last part can bring feelings of shame when you see examples where you didn’t honor your values.
Be gentle with yourself. We don’t always live into our values 100% of the time. The more we can be honest about those times, and identify them, the more likely we are to move towards better alignment.
Line up your Values to your ToDo List
Once you understand what your values are, it's time to start applying them to your todo list for greater focus and satisfaction at work. When your tasks resonate with your values, distractions are less tempting and your mind stays engaged.
If someone else valued balance, they might say no to extra projects that compromise their well-being. Valuing Quality could lead to the same result, doing fewer projects so that they can be done well instead of rushing through.
Go through your todo list and highlight tasks that align with your core values.Deprioritize or delegate ones that don't (if possible).For example, a new task I am dreading because I'm unsure may help me grow. So that can be a priority for me to align with my value of growth. Since I value impact, when I look at my todo list, I want to prioritize things that have the biggest impact.
Identify 1-2 tasks daily that align with your core values. Sometimes you can't delegate, but accomplishing even some tasks that align with your values you will help you feel more satisfied at the end of the day.Look at tasks on your list and ask "what would this look like if I centered [core-value]?".An example "what would this meeting look like if I centered connection?". How would I show up to this meeting if I wanted to center my value of connection? I would listen to the team's ideas, I would ask questions to them instead of talking about what I think we should do.
It’s Time For You To Try
Now you have some concrete steps on how to use your values to feel more satisfied and less overwhelmed.
Identify Your Values
Define Them - in your words
Apply Them - to your todo list