5 Proven Ways to Prioritize Tasks Effectively for Maximum Productivity

Introduction

Appropriate scheduling of activities is always an important issue in any working process. Basically, if you fine-tune the ability to prioritize then you will be able to work on the important things in the first place. This assist you in being more productive in terms of the time and energy that you devote at work and in preventing from being overloaded with heaps of things to do lists.

Based on productivity research and expert recommendations, here are 5 proven methods to prioritize tasks for maximum efficiency.

1. Use the Eisenhower Matrix

One more mentioned prioritization tool under the umbrella of 34th president of America Dwight D. Eisenhower is called the Eisenhower Matrix. It categorizes targets into four quadrants based on urgent and importance:

- Important + Urgent: High priority. Tackle immediately. They are crises, deadlines, problems which demand you to act now. 

- Important + Not Urgent: Decide when to tackle. It is better to organize these tasks so that you are actually achieving something on priority objectives rather than merely responding.

- Not Important + Urgent: This must be delegated or eliminated if possible. Either, ask for help or cease with these time-wasters all together.

- Not Important + Not Urgent: Kill. The other activity that must be dropped from the to do list is if it is not actually going to be done anytime soon.

This matrix puts you in the position where you have to analyse each task and do the right thing and choose the high impact jobs. Be more efficient by planning life and avoiding time-wasting deadlines.

2. Use the Ivy Lee Method 

The Ivy Lee method is a simple daily routine to end your workday ready for tomorrow:

1. When you get to work, list down 6 tasks you want to accomplish the following day. No more than 6.

2. In order to accomplish them, prioritize those in the following order. 

3. The next day should involve concentrating on individual activities until the day is through. 

4. Repeat daily. The ability to change the plan if what was planned isn’t able to achieve goals and objectives in the most efficient manner.

Limited list of things to accomplish per day to only six prioritized makes you on track for the day. It allows you to complete your critical tasks and does not make you overloaded.

3. Follow the 80/20 Rule

One rule — 80% of your outcomes come from 20% of your inputs and activities. So rather identify and work only on the top 20%–the heavily-rewarding activities. Deproitize or arrange the remaining tasks in a manner that means them low priorities in your working schedule. 

Identifying these one or two activities that really can make or break an effort does take a bit of experimenting. However, it is useful to evaluate your tasks based on their importance once you established a set of good employees, for instance, at the end of the year. Such activities may be certain high dollar/earning clients, marketing activities or some success-critical deliverables.

People have typically reported that if a focal effort is made on the twenty-percent, then four times as much can be achieved as if energy is diluted on trivialities.

4. Organize it in High-medium-low priorities 

When you’re feeling overwhelmed by a long, undifferentiated to-do list, this 3-tier system helps break down your tasks:

1. It is to indicate that high priority means that the outstanding item is highly important. Must get done today.

2. Not very important = low significance. Plan to do this week. Schedule it.

3. FF = not important =good to have but not essential. Include in next week/month or remove the list if it is not going to be tackled any time soon.

Rapidly categorizing your work this way helps you make what is urgent compared to what can be delayed truly pop. It also makes sure you separate less important goods for future delivery instead of leaving them on your list forever.

5. Use DO IT, DELEGATE IT, POSTPONE IT, DISCARD IT Rules  

Here is one final framework when deciding how to prioritize items:

1. You should do this task yourself to and now, do it. High priority.

2. Outsource it = This is actually a task that requires the services of other people to achieve maximum output.

3. Defer it = This you should put off for completion at a later time yourself.

4. Drop it = Lose it if you are not seriously ever going to finish the task. Remove clutter.

These 4 options make you subconsciously select each task owner and the timing based on value instead of the sense of urgency. It also helps you to recall that one should offload if possible so that one does not get tired.

Conclusion

Doing this as opposed to just acting spontaneously on what tasks should be done next sets a person up for success in achieving productivity. Choose any of the following optimization tools: Eisenhower Matrix, Ivy Lee Method, Pareto Principle, High-Medium-Low concept, or “4 Ds” and you will not always be stuck in reactive mode. Choose what is really important and get to it, organize your time effectively, learn to pass something off when you can, and don’t do things that waste time. You will get the right projects done quickly.