Here are two questions for you. First, How many times has the end of the week arrived and you still have some important project, engagement or activity unfinished?  Second, and more important, How many times does this have to happen to you before you do something about it?  

What a terrible way to begin your weekend! Either you get home late because you stayed to finish up what you didn’t do during the week or you get home at a decent hour but frustrated and in a bad mood because you didn’t finish it. Neither option is particularly attractive, agreed?

You’re not alone. It happens to just about every professional I know. We should put a name on this affliction. After all, everyone else has a clinical or psychological name for their ailments. Call it something like Poor Prioritizer Syndrome. Maybe we could find a pill to take and petition the authorities to make it a protected disability so you can’t get fired for it.

That way, when you’re accused of finishing something at the last minute or missing a deadline altogether, you could say, Sorry, I have a bad case of the Pee-Pees. It just got the best of me this time. I need to get my prescription checked. However, don’t be surprised if you don’t get any sympathy from your clients or colleagues. They have their own battles with the Pee-Pees.

So, you can use this as an excuse to continue to live crazy or you can do something about it by prioritizing your priorities. Here’s how.

1. Before you begin your week, ask yourself, What three things could I accomplish this week that would have the biggest payoff?

2. Then get out your calendar and dedicate blocks of time to focus on their completion. Be reasonable and allow enough time to do them right.

3. When the time arrives to begin, close your door, put the phone on DND, silence your PDA and email alert, and tell your receptionist you’re in an important meeting and don’t want to be disturbed except for an emergency. (She’ll think you’re nuts, but she thinks that  already, so get over it.)

4. Treat this time as highly important and focus. In fact, consider it as if it were dedicated time to a client. Would you take a call in the middle of a meeting with your best client? Or check your email while she was talking? Or allow a staff person to interrupt your meeting? Of course not. (If you would, you have other problems bigger than the Pee-Pees.)

It will take a couple of weeks of disciplining yourself this way, but the results you get will be well worth the effort. You’ll get the most important things done, consider the week worthwhile and go home ready to enjoy the weekend.

That’s a first step to increase your satisfaction in your career. Commit to yourself now that you’ll prioritize your priorities and make sure you follow through. You’ll be glad you did.

Note: for those of you who are having trouble breaking out of your bad habits, a support group is forming. Call 1.800.PEE-PEES for more information.