An important part of time management is figuring out how to make hard choices about which tasks happen first and which tasks may not get done.
Before you can prioritize you need to figure out what you’re working toward; the goal.
Consider importance, urgency, difficulty, of a task in order to prioritise.
Types of Tasks
1. Urgent tasks; these are tasks that demand your attention right away, tasks that make you feel that you need to react quickly.
2. Important task; important tasks actually have a significant impact on your life. They should help further your major goals, needs, and values. Sometimes important tasks are more complex and require you to break them down into more manageable tasks or steps.
3. Both urgent and important; these tasks have both urgency (a set deadline that is close at hand) and importance (a significant contribution to your values, needs, or goals). This is the most pressing group of tasks that need to be dealt with, such as a health emergency. They should move to the top of your list.
4. Important but not urgent: these are tasks that should be prioritized, but may not need to be at the top of your list. Since they can offer great personal rewards, you should try to spend the most amount of time on activities like these. For example; building personal relationships.
5. Feel urgent, but are not actually important; this type of task keeps you busy, but is not actually accomplishing anything significant. Examples include non-essential communications like chatting. These tasks keep you in a state of high stress, feeling as though they urgently need your attention, but with none of the reward of accomplishing a more meaningful task. You shouldn’t spend too much time on these types of tasks unless they directly contribute to your personal goals.
6. Non-urgent and non-important tasks. These are often the tasks that people waste the most time on, and they are the tasks that bring us the least amount of satisfaction in the end. Sometimes these are tasks that we use to procrastinate, like surfing the internet, moving from one channel to another, or playing games. These tasks may feel like they help you relax and unwind, but, be careful of pouring too much time and energy into pursuits that do not contribute to your overall goals and values.
Tasks that are complex, that require multiple steps, or that you know will require a good amount of concentration and effort are often easier to tackle if you break them down into multiple stages.
Before you can prioritize you need to figure out what you’re working toward; the goal.
Consider importance, urgency, difficulty, of a task in order to prioritise.
Types of Tasks
1. Urgent tasks; these are tasks that demand your attention right away, tasks that make you feel that you need to react quickly.
2. Important task; important tasks actually have a significant impact on your life. They should help further your major goals, needs, and values. Sometimes important tasks are more complex and require you to break them down into more manageable tasks or steps.
3. Both urgent and important; these tasks have both urgency (a set deadline that is close at hand) and importance (a significant contribution to your values, needs, or goals). This is the most pressing group of tasks that need to be dealt with, such as a health emergency. They should move to the top of your list.
4. Important but not urgent: these are tasks that should be prioritized, but may not need to be at the top of your list. Since they can offer great personal rewards, you should try to spend the most amount of time on activities like these. For example; building personal relationships.
5. Feel urgent, but are not actually important; this type of task keeps you busy, but is not actually accomplishing anything significant. Examples include non-essential communications like chatting. These tasks keep you in a state of high stress, feeling as though they urgently need your attention, but with none of the reward of accomplishing a more meaningful task. You shouldn’t spend too much time on these types of tasks unless they directly contribute to your personal goals.
6. Non-urgent and non-important tasks. These are often the tasks that people waste the most time on, and they are the tasks that bring us the least amount of satisfaction in the end. Sometimes these are tasks that we use to procrastinate, like surfing the internet, moving from one channel to another, or playing games. These tasks may feel like they help you relax and unwind, but, be careful of pouring too much time and energy into pursuits that do not contribute to your overall goals and values.
Tasks that are complex, that require multiple steps, or that you know will require a good amount of concentration and effort are often easier to tackle if you break them down into multiple stages.
When faced with a task you know will be difficult, try to break it down into smaller tasks that will help you reach the final goal.
Breaking down a complex task into small tasks and then starting with the least difficult ones is an example of prioritizing by difficulty.
There are two ways of prioritising difficult tasks;
1. Begin with the less difficult tasks. Finishing your least difficult tasks first, you can build momentum, increase your confidence, and leave yourself more time to deal with complex tasks that may demand more effort.
Note: Be careful not to spend too much time on the less difficult tasks and leave your hardest work for the end, when you may run out of time.
2. Tackle the hardest tasks first. The advantage here is that you have more time to spend on the tasks that take the most effort. And getting the more complex tasks out of the way first may allow you to relax and feel confident once they are done.
Note: The drawback of this approach is that dealing with difficult tasks first might overwhelm you.
Note: It is important to find time to relax and recharge.
Breaking down a complex task into small tasks and then starting with the least difficult ones is an example of prioritizing by difficulty.
There are two ways of prioritising difficult tasks;
1. Begin with the less difficult tasks. Finishing your least difficult tasks first, you can build momentum, increase your confidence, and leave yourself more time to deal with complex tasks that may demand more effort.
Note: Be careful not to spend too much time on the less difficult tasks and leave your hardest work for the end, when you may run out of time.
2. Tackle the hardest tasks first. The advantage here is that you have more time to spend on the tasks that take the most effort. And getting the more complex tasks out of the way first may allow you to relax and feel confident once they are done.
Note: The drawback of this approach is that dealing with difficult tasks first might overwhelm you.
Note: It is important to find time to relax and recharge.
