3 Simple Techniques To Prioritize Your Tasks And Get More Done
It is a good likelihood that if you feel overloaded at work, it is because you have difficulty prioritizing.
And that’s fine, too!
Prioritization is an undervalued ability that is rarely taught to us in a direct manner.
It’s possible to escape the cycle of missed deadlines and persistent stress if you devise a plan of attack for your job.
In particular, this is true if you’re in charge of several projects and people at once.
In a nutshell? Taking charge of your job merely necessitates a shift in how you approach it.
You don’t have to worry about falling behind on your existing tasks or always having to play catch-up since we’ve got you covered.
Prioritization’s Scientific Advantages
The prefrontal cortex is a portion of our brain that performs a wide range of tasks, ranging from behavior modification to managing our emotions and setting priorities.
“Executive functions,” characterized as “controlling, short-sighted, and reflexive responses,” are related to the prefrontal cortex.
Planning, decision-making, and problem-solving are all functions of the prefrontal cortex, all of which are critical to the process of setting priorities.
Why is it so important to use this region of your brain when it comes to setting priorities? Many reasons.
Stress can be reduced by prioritizing tasks. When you have a strategy in place, stress levels begin to drop.
Stress management is also thought to account for around twenty-five percent of our overall happiness, so the more we plan and prioritize, the happier we are likely to be.
Individuals are more likely to finish tasks on their to-do lists when they prioritize them, giving them more freedom in the long term.
With just five or ten action items on your daily list, you’re far more likely to finish them and cross them off than if you had a long list of tasks to perform.
Finally, you may save time by prioritizing your tasks.
Because your activities are arranged according to significance, it is easier to proceed from one work to the next without worrying about which one you should start with or when you should finish it.
You’ll save a lot of time and effort this way.
#1: ABCDE Technique:
Three letters in this acronym signify the importance of each activity.
Because an “A” item is the most critical one on your list, it should be completed first.
This method is commonly referred to as “eating the frog” by business executives, a homage to a Mark Twain proverb.
The “B” and “C” tasks are less important and can only begin once the “A” job has been done.
“D” indicates delegating crucial chores to others, whereas “E” activities can be eliminated completely.
#2: Eisenhower matrix:
Dwight D. Eisenhower, a former president of the United States, is the inspiration for this prioritizing tool’s name.
Using Eisenhower as a model, author Stephen Covey developed the “Eisenhower matrix,” an effective method for prioritizing activities and avoiding time wasters and procrastination.
The Eisenhower matrix divides daily duties into four quadrants, each with the labels “Do,” “Decide” (or “Schedule”), “Delegate,” and “Delete.”
#3 The Pareto Principle
When the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto first created the Pareto principle in 1896, he referred to it as “the law of a few” or “the 80/20 rule.”
The Pareto principle asserts that 20% of inputs lead to 80% of results, and the contrary is equally true, according to the concept.
Throughout history, the Pareto principle has been applied to a wide range of fields including economics, sports, and computer science.
Task prioritizing may be justified by saying that focusing on your most important work will deliver 80 percent of your outcomes with just 20 percent of your time spent on it.
In other words, the top 20% of your most critical duties should take up 80% of your day’s total time.
