Whether we’re aware of it or not, we’re prioritising and filtering out our tasks daily. However, if you’re drifting through the day reacting to every request, putting out fires or finding yourself sucked into a rabbit hole of emails, then you’re not prioritising your work. The likely outcome at the end of the day is that you’re left wondering where your time went. If this continues, we start to feel overwhelmed, buried and stressed with the ever-increasing list of things to do every day and an increased risk of procrastination because we can’t make progress on important things.
Prioritisation helps combat this and is about focusing first on what matters most. By deliberately choosing where to spend our time, we feel more productive, which combats procrastination.
Here are my top tips to prioritise your work:
1. Make a list
First and foremost, you need a list. To prioritise your tasks, you need to know precisely what you have to do.
2. Estimate time and effort
Estimating how long a task takes helps you organise priorities and allows you to have the best possible plan on what you can tackle that day.
It’s a good idea to underestimate how much you can get done and overestimate how long each task will take. If you find yourself with time to spare at the end of the day, you’re bound to have other jobs to start. It is better to feel a sense of accomplishment having made it through your priorities than feeling like you’re continually moving incomplete tasks to your list for tomorrow.
If you are given a task you haven’t done before, ask anyone that may have done a similar job how long it took, then double that estimate. You will always be slower in the beginning. The more familiar you are with the task, the more accurately you can estimate how long you need to complete it.
3. Eat the frog
Eating the frog is a metaphor for tackling the worst task first. Whatever you have been procrastinating over, just do it. Commit to finishing it. Imagine how you will feel knowing you’ve managed to get that off your plate.
4. Learn to say No
As difficult as it is, sometimes we just have to say No. Every time you say yes to something, in effect, you’re saying No to something more important.
5. Use a prioritisation model / matrix
My favourite method of prioritisation is to use a tool. Popularised in Steven Covey’s book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, the Eisenhower Matrix is a tool you can use to ensure you’re spending your time productively.
The Urgent and Important quadrant deals with crises – tasks that require your immediate attention. They have clear deadlines and consequences for not taking urgent action. Sometimes, tasks that start in other quadrants creep into this one if you procrastinate.
The Important but Not Urgent quadrant deals with activities that help you achieve your professional and personal life goals. They need to be your main focus each day, except when attending to crisis tasks.
The Not Important but Urgent quadrant deals with tasks that prevent you from reaching your goals. Other people generally provide a common source of activity in this quadrant. For tasks that fall within this quadrant, learn to politely say “No” or delegate them to someone else.
The Not Urgent and Not Important quadrant deals with things that waste time and do not move you closer to your goals. Aim to spend as little time as possible in this quadrant.
Brian Tracy’s ABCDE Method
Another popular model is Brian Tracy’s ABCDE method, and it’s simple to use. When you’re planning out your day, give all your tasks a letter from A – E.
A is for anything critical. There can be severe consequences if you don’t do it.
B is for anything you should do. There are only minor consequences if these tasks are not complete.
C is for anything that would be nice to do. There are no negative consequences associated with not completing these tasks.
D is for anything you can delegate.
E stands for eliminate. If you can eliminate a task, then do so.
Once all your tasks have a letter, start numbering them in order of importance, A-1, A-2, A-3, B-1, B-2, B-3 etc.
When you’ve done that, you’re ready to start working on your tasks until they’re complete. The key to success with this method is to have the self-discipline to start your A1 job and only starting A2 when you’ve finished A1. If you don’t make it through all your tasks, start the process again the next day.
And there you have it, my tried-and-true tips for prioritising your tasks, so you have a sense of accomplishment at the end of your day.
If you’d like some help prioritising your tasks and getting through your to-do’s, get in touch and we will show you how.
