It’s always hard to set the right priorities, but never more so than this year.

We’re full steam ahead on 2021, still wrestling with the implications of the chaotic year that just ended. The repercussions are still rippling through both our society as well as economy. To cite one example, governments have invested trillions of dollars in stimulus efforts, money that has distorted the financial markets but also will burden citizens for years to come.

Not every business that won’t survive the pandemic has failed yet. Many transportation and some healthcare systems are barely solvent. Mental health issues have seldom been more prevalent in society.

And while opportunities still abound, even the firms that thrived last year need to make hard decisions about where to invest time, resources and capital.

We are headed towards a new normal, one that we all realize remains both unclear and a bit elusive. Many of us—at all levels—are feeling the strains, and the pressure and ambiguity is unlikely to ease up much this year. It may be better, yes, but it won’t be easy.

My advice: Decide what matters most, in the face of numerous conflicting obligations. Focus on the most important, high leverage things. Make a short list and execute on those few priorities well, even if you have limited resources and big challenges.

This is true on both an organizational as well as a personal level. Once you know what matters most, you can make that known to others. For example, even when work seems relentless, if you know that family matters greatly to you, then you will find ways to demonstrate this in a truly meaningful way. It’s not enough to think, “of course they know.” You have to prove it.

If this sounds a bit negative, please know that I don’t mean it that way. Clarity and focus in challenging times is what sets us up to survive and maybe even flourish, despite the chaos.