How to Prioritize Like a CEO (Not a Short-Order Cook)

Feeling Stuck in Your Business?

If your to-do list has turned into a monster of dreams and guilt, you’re not alone.

You have big ideas and a heart to serve your audience well. Still, somehow, you feel stuck.
It’s not because you aren’t working hard—you are!
It’s because you’re not quite sure what to do first.

Sound familiar? Then it’s time to stop playing short-order cook and start leading like the CEO you are.

In this week’s episode of Think Like an Integrator, I’m sharing the exact 4-part prioritization filter I use to help visionaries:

• Clarify their goals

• Simplify their steps

• Finally move forward

Let’s dive in.

1. Clarify: What Season Are You In?

Before planning your next move, take a moment to clarify which season your business is in.

• Building: You’re creating offers, showing up, and laying the groundwork for your brand.

• Booking: You have offers and proof of concept—now you’re focused on getting clients or sales.

• Scaling: You’re generating consistent revenue, and it’s time to streamline, hire, or expand.

This step sets the foundation for every decision you make.

When you’re in a Booking season, visibility and connection are key.
Conversely, if you’re in a Scaling season, it’s time to systemize and delegate.

So, stop comparing yourself to someone in a different season—and start honoring where you are right now.

2. Categorize: Must Do, Nice to Do, Not Now

Next, let’s Marie Kondo your to-do list. Every task belongs in one of three buckets:

• Must Do: These are revenue-generating, results-driving, or time-sensitive tasks.

• Nice to Do: Helpful but not urgent—these don’t move the needle right now.

• Not Now: Ideas for a future version of you (save these in your “parking lot” doc).

Mindset shift:
Not every great idea is a “right now” idea.
Therefore, don’t let shiny objects pull you away from your current goals.

3. Cut & Commit: Focus on 1–2 Priorities

Here’s the part that takes courage.

From your categorized list, choose just one or two projects to focus on this quarter.

Yes—only one or two.
Because if everything is important, nothing truly is.

Ask yourself:

• What will make the biggest impact in the next 90 days?

• Which goals fit the season I’m in?

• What can wait, even if it’s exciting?

Ultimately, the goal isn’t to do more; rather, it’s to focus on the right things and do them really well.

4. Systemize: Make It Easier Next Time

Once you’ve chosen your priorities, find ways to make the work smoother.

Ask:

• Can I create a template?

• Build a workflow?

• Batch or delegate this task?

If you’re doing something more than once, it’s ready for a system.
As a result, every repeatable task you streamline saves you time, energy, and brainpower.

(Need help here? Book a Roadmap Call—one of our PMs will help you create systems that actually stick.)

Final Thoughts

If you’ve been caught in the “do it all” cycle, take a deep breath.

You’re not behind or failing. In fact, you’re simply ready for a better system.

You don’t need to be everywhere—just where it matters most.
You don’t need to do everything—only the right things, in the right season.

So, let this be your permission slip to stop spinning—and start moving forward with clarity and confidence.

Listen to the episode now!