How to Use the Horizons Check to Make Better Work Decisions

When everything feels urgent, it's easy to say yes to the wrong things. The ten-minute Horizons Check is your compass—a simple, neurodivergent-friendly method to look up at the bigger picture before you commit. Instead of reacting to every request that lands in your inbox, you'll pause, assess, and choose work that truly supports where you're headed. This quick ritual transforms overwhelm into confident, intentional action.

Pause Before 'Yes'

The moment a new task or project appears, resist the urge to say yes immediately. That automatic response is often driven by urgency, not importance. Take ten minutes to step back and breathe.

• Acknowledge the request without committing straight away
• Create mental space to think clearly about the implications
• Recognize that not everything urgent is actually essential to your goals
• Give yourself permission to say 'let me think about it'

This pause is your first act of control. It transforms reactive scrambling into intentional choice. You're no longer a victim of your inbox; you're a decision-maker with a clear process.

Consult Your Horizons

Think of your work as a pyramid with five distinct layers. Each layer provides a reference point for making smart decisions about what to take on:

• Purpose and Principles sit at the top—why you exist and how you behave
• Vision shows your picture of success in the next few years
• Goals are your concrete targets for the next 12 months
• Areas of Focus are the ongoing responsibilities you maintain
• Projects are the current initiatives you're actively working on

Each layer guides the ones below it. When you consult these horizons, you're checking whether a new commitment fits into your existing structure or disrupts the balance you've worked hard to create.

Check for Alignment

Now run the new work through a quick series of filtering questions. Ask yourself honestly:

• Does this serve our core purpose and principles?
• Does it advance our vision of success?
• Does it support our current goals and objectives?
• Does it protect and strengthen our key Areas of Focus?
• Which existing project does it belong to—or does it create a new one we're genuinely willing to own?

If the work doesn't connect clearly to at least one horizon, it's probably noise masquerading as opportunity. Like a skilled chess player scanning the entire board before moving a piece, you're spending a moment thinking strategically so your next move is the right one.

Commit with Confidence

Once you've confirmed alignment across your horizons, you can commit with genuine clarity. The mental fog lifts. The chaos of competing priorities dissolves. You're no longer juggling random tasks; you're executing a coherent plan that moves you forward.

This ten-minute check cuts through noise and dramatically reduces wasted effort and rework. You'll spend less energy on dead-ends and distractions, and more time on work that genuinely matters to your long-term success. The result? Better decisions, less overwhelm, and steady progress toward what you actually want to achieve.

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