How to Prioritise Like a Pro & Win the Day!

Career, Organisation

May 26, 2018

“You don’t need more time in your day. You just need to decide”- Seth Godin.

Have you ever felt like you can’t get on top of your workload and priorities? Does your never-ending to-do list continue to grow and expand? Do you constantly feel stressed and overwhelmed? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this may be the article for you!

Managing work flow and priorities will result in increased productivity and reduced stress.

So, what is the key for how to prioritise like a pro and win the day? Read my top 5 tips below:

1. PRIORITISE YOUR TO-DO LIST

Prioritising your to-do list is one of the most effective ways to manage your work flow. Start by writing a list of things you need to complete. Systematically review your list and determine what items are the most urgent and important. Once you have highlighted the key priorities, delegate between 1-3 items for each day that you absolutely must complete.

For example, Monday 28th May 2018:

1: Submit weekly sales report

2: Book venue for annual conference

3: Write blog post on How to Prioritise Like a Pro & Win the Day

2. TACKLE DIFFICULT TASKS FIRST

Now that you have determined the most urgent and important tasks, ensure you tackle them first! Whilst it is easy to allow yourself to become distracted by email and default to working on the ‘quick wins,’ this approach is counter-productive and will cause you undue stress. Utilise prime time (AM) to tackle the most difficult tasks whilst your mind is fresh and free of distractions!

Leaving difficult tasks to the afternoon is a fatal mistake. Chances are you will run out of time, resulting in you feeling stressed and overwhelmed. Once you have completed your top 1-3 priorities, you will feel a sense of accomplishment and will then be free to attend to meetings, emails and phone calls.

3. PLAN AHEAD

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”- Benjamin Franklin.

Planning your day or week in advance will ensure that you schedule in your important tasks and utilise your time as effectively and wisely as possible! If you don’t put any thought into planning your work flow and priorities, you will end up wasting valuable time thinking about what it is you should be doing next! Taking the time to plan ahead will save you the unnecessary stress and headache later.

4. BATCH YOUR WORK

Batching is a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. The Pomodoro technique is a specific form of batching which requires a timer to break work down into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks. Batching requires the grouping of similar tasks to streamline their completion. This in turn allows you to maximise concentration and increase productivity, creativity and mental sharpness whilst decreasing fatigue, stress and procrastination.

5. REST & RELAXATION

Rest and Relaxation are necessary for the mind, body and soul. Whether it is ensuring you get plenty of sleep, stretching, yoga, listening to music, reading a good book or meditating, ensure you are taking the necessary time out to rest and relax. Getting adequate R&R will result in increased alertness, productivity, creativity and increased general health.