The secret to a successful to-do list or plan is understanding how to prioritize your goals and requirements for life and business. Prioritization orders tasks in the importance of urgency or in the most organized fashion to promote a consistent and smooth workflow. If you think planning is getting in your way of success, it’s likely your priorities that are in disorder.
Here are five tips and methods that allow you to prioritize more effectively to be sure you start each day more productively and better manage your time:
Consolidate and Analyze All Tasks First
Categorize and break it down into similar properties, deadlines, or time it takes to complete.
Keep in Mind All Requirements for Tasks
Consider the effort and the time it will take to accomplish each task as well. Who may you have to work with, or what environments may you need to change?
Remember the activities that you have a little resistance to or cause extra stress and anxiety. These tasks should likely be higher on your to-do list as they may take longer to accomplish.
Assign A Priority Number
Each day list your tasks in the order they should get done for optimal productivity. Keep in mind due dates or how urgent and vital it is to get done compared to the other tasks. If something is easy, it doesn’t always mean it is the best idea to get it done first when you know you have a deadline for a completely different project coming up tomorrow, for example.
Create A Priority Matrix
From the list you created earlier, take each of the tasks and organize it into two categories: important or unimportant. Then list whether the task is urgent, not urgent or if you should delegate and eliminate it instead—the following chart is an example of a priority matrix you can use to order your tasks better.
|
Objective/Task
|
Urgent (Do Now)
|
Not Urgent (Finish Later) |
Level (Low, Med, High or A,B,C,D,E)
|
|
|
Important
|
Check Customer Service Emails |
x |
D-Delegate |
|
|
Not Important
|
Use The “ABCDE” Method
Invented by Stephen Covey, the ABCDE method uses a grading system to apply a straightforward approach and visual representation to each task. Allowing you to quickly see what you should get done first without having to analyze too much.
The rules to this method are as follows:
- A – High priority tasks
- B – Medium priority tasks
- C – Low priority tasks
- D – Delegate the tasks to others
- E – Eliminate the tasks completely
This information will help you create your daily to-do lists or 90-day action plan to ensure you use your time efficiently. The last thing you want to do is have the right plan for success, just in the wrong order.
Over the next 30 days, we will be talking exclusively about quarterly planning to maximize your productivity by learning the core values and habits needed for success.
Reaching your productivity goals requires understanding, harnessing, acquiring, and juggling many different ideas, concepts, and skills. Throughout this report, you will learn the core values and habits needed for success, what everyday habits to avoid and how a straightforward change in your plans can maximize your productivity.
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