The second installment of Yuvi’s “I’m a Failed Writer” screencast series is particularly relevant to me. As a new parent, I’m no stranger to time management with dependent bodies in my home.

As I told Yuvi in an email conversation earlier this year, parenting brought me a surprise: I’m more focused than ever.

In an objective (and understated) sense, being a parent is like a gigantic, ongoing project.1 Like any other high-priority project, parenting naturally compels you to put it first. Parenting makes you prioritize in the best of ways: act now with the future in mind. More than ever, I make value-based decisions during every hour of my day.

Whether or not you’re a parent, I strongly recommend pursuing projects that add lasting value in your life by crowding out things that don’t really matter. If your current "priorities" don't force you to put them first—whether it be though passion or accountability—then they really aren't priorities at all.

  1. Actually, it’s an entire folder in OmniFocus.