Task Management & Prioritization

Making a to-do list is the first step in getting work done. ✔

If you're thinking, yes I know this is true, but how in the world do I know what to get done first when I don’t have enough time to do everything in a day?

I have a simple solution for you! With effective prioritization, you can increase your productivity and ensure that your most urgent tasks get immediate attention.

The Eisenhower Matrix is a task management tool that helps you determine what is an urgent and important task so you can create efficient processes to manage tasks for your life.

Urgent tasks require your immediate attention. When something is urgent, it needs to be completed now, and there are consequences if you don’t complete these tasks within a certain timeframe. These are tasks you can’t avoid, and the longer you delay completion, the more stress you’ll likely experience.

Important tasks may not require immediate attention, but these tasks help you achieve your long-term goals. Just because these tasks are less urgent doesn’t mean they don’t matter. You' just need to put more planning around these tasks so you can use your resources efficiently.

SIMPLE ACTION STEP:

Get out a piece of paper and create a quadrant like I have shown on slide one. Write down all your to-dos and list them in the appropriate quadrants:

DO IT FIRST

Tasks with deadlines or consequences

SCHEDULE IT

Tasks with unclear deadlines that contribute to long-term success

DELEGATE IT

Tasks that must get done, but don't require your skill set

DELETE IT

Distractions and unnecessary tasks

PRINT YOUR FREE TASK CHART

The best way to understand the difference between urgency and importance is to use the task chart {above}. However, you may still find yourself struggling to prioritize your tasks each day.

Here are {4} tips that can help you with prioritization as you sort your tasks in each quadrant.

Color-code your tasks

Color-coding your tasks is a tactic that can help you visualize high-priority items. As you go through your to-do list tool, try giving yourself four colors based on level of priority. Use the code as follows:

Green = Highest priority items

Yellow = Second-highest priority

Blue = Third-highest priority

Red = Not a priority

Once you’ve labeled your tasks by color, these colors will directly translate to your task chart. Your green tasks are your “do” tasks for quadrant one. Your yellow tasks are your “schedule” tasks for quadrant two. Your blue tasks are your “delegate” tasks for quadrant three, and your red tasks are your “delete” tasks for quadrant four.

Limit tasks to 10 per quadrant

Even if you have a lot of tasks on your to-do list, try to limit your tasks to 10 items per quadrant. This will keep your task list from becoming cluttered and overwhelming. Limiting your task list to necessary action items will ensure you’re beginning the prioritization process with no time to waste.

Make personal and professional to-do lists

Another way to limit the number of items on your task list is to create separate task charts for your personal and professional to-do lists. Your work and personal tasks require different timelines, resources, and methods, and they’ll likely require different thought processes. To effectively manage your personal and professional goals, you’ll need to divide and conquer.

Eliminate, then prioritize

Eliminate unnecessary tasks first to effectively prioritize. With this strategy, you’ll address quadrant four before moving on to quadrants one, two, and three. As you skim through your to-do list, assess what items you’ve written down that don’t need to be there.

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