Sometimes, the most obvious things are the ones we overlook. In our pursuit of success, we often forget to prioritize the most fundamental aspect: ourselves. Dr. Jude Emokpare, a physician and wellness advocate, believes that our mental, physical well-being, and productivity are three critical components that we tend to unconsciously sideline. By doing so, he says, we slow our progress toward our goals. Dr. Emokpare shares practical advice on how to prioritize oneself.

How to Prioritize Yourself

  • Focus on Your Mental Well-Being 🧠 Mental well-being is the most critical component because it can directly lead to burnout if poorly managed, states Emokpare.

“There are high anxieties. You experience a decrease in resilience when facing challenges,” he adds. “This leads to stress, which accumulates and impairs cognitive function and decision-making abilities. You don’t have to be a physician, but everyone knows that chronic stress has been linked to various mental health issues, including depression and anxiety, and ultimately, these issues will hinder your ability to achieve your goals. So, prioritizing your mental health is the baseline, the number one for success.”

It’s no surprise that the state of your mental health can influence every area of your life; and poor mental health has the capacity to damage relationships and the pursuit of larger goals.

  • Stay Active 🏃‍♂️ Emokpare compares our bodies to physical vehicles that drive us toward success. Neglecting your body’s maintenance can lead to breakdowns.

“I call this your catalyst for productivity,” says Emokpare. “And thinking about it this way, you are on this journey toward success, and the vehicle to reach your destination is your body.”

When sleep quality is poor, your diet is poor. When you limit time for yourself because you prioritize others, it ultimately results in poor work, says Emokpare.

“When you focus on the well-being of others and set aside your personal health, you start to adopt unhealthy habits,” says Emokpare.

  • Aim for Sustainable Productivity 🛠️ Emokpare observes that people tend to focus on the quantity of work rather than the quality. We ignore breaks because it seems like a productivity boost to squeeze a few more hours of work into the day.

However, Emokpare says it is essential to view things through the lens of longevity by creating an efficient work environment for sustainable productivity. By understanding ourselves, we can better protect our personal thresholds from external distractions.

“Some people are morning persons; others are night owls,” he says, citing the example of someone who works best in uninterrupted blocks of time.

For instance, if you know you need four consecutive, focused hours to have a productive work session, by prioritizing that time, you are able to be more efficient. Conversely, when we deprioritize our productivity, we allow other things to dictate how we organize our day.

Three Steps Toward Self-Prioritization

  • Clarify Your Goals 🎯 Prioritizing yourself and rejecting others’ requests requires a strong understanding of your dreams and goals. If we are not clear with ourselves about why our goals are important to us, it becomes more difficult to say no to requests and demands that derail us.

To find clarity on your goals and dreams, Emokpare suggests breaking them down into one, three, and five-year goals and working backward.

“What do I hope to achieve?” asks Emokpare. “If in one year I hope to have lost 20 pounds, I start with the image of myself 20 pounds lighter in one year and work backward. What do I need to do to get to that person I see in 12 months?”

  • Complete Three Achievable Tasks a Day ✅ Once goals are established, Emokpare loves to start each day by listing three tasks to complete.

“Start with just three very simple things that you know, even on your worst days, you can easily accomplish,” he explains. “It can be something as simple as drinking four bottles of water a day or walking for 10 minutes. You don’t have to walk for 30 minutes; start with 10 minutes.”

Breaking things down into something small and digestible creates healthy long-term habits because it allows you to build momentum, says Emokpare, explaining that it becomes an action of discipline you can gradually feel satisfied with.

  • Use Delayed Response 🕰️ Along the way, you’ll need to assess whether something aligns with your priorities. Emokpare suggests using the delayed response as a tool for thoughtful decision-making.

Before committing to someone else, take time to check your schedule, assess the alignment of responsibilities with your priorities, and avoid immediate responses. This can prevent overload and help you maintain focus on your personal goals.

“I never respond on the spot because there’s the desire to want to help,” says Emokpare. However, that desire to help does not always translate into a positive outcome.

“At some point, you’ll overload yourself, taking on too much and then disappointing people, including yourself. So, I always start by saying, ‘I’ll be happy to help, but let me check my schedule first and I’ll let you know.’ This gives me time to reflect on what I’m committing to. And then I return to my day. What are those three things I said I needed to achieve today? Does this person’s request interfere with them? If the answer is ‘yes,’ I take time to focus on my priorities.”

While it may seem daunting to choose self-prioritization over prioritizing others, it helps your personal goals and long-term relationships. By clarifying your goals and prioritizing yourself, you’ll be able to be more productive and show up more authentically for those you care about.