Steven Covey and Alan Lakein, two time management gurus, have written extensively on this topic. An important task has value assigned to it, while an urgent task has a deadline. When one learns how to prioritize daily work, they become more efficient and effective.
Here are 4 steps in this process:
- Make a daily to-do list that will help you move closer to completing your most important goals or projects. This to-do list might represent early steps in a projects, important phone calls, or difficult conversations.
- If there are things on your list that are trivial or unimportant, delete them. If you have said yes to something that is not important to your goals or the goals of your group, go back and re-visit the commitment you made. Don’t just drop the ball.
- Once you have your list, make a notation next to tasks that are both urgent and important. Covey calls it “a Quadrant I activity,” Lakein calls it an “A.” These are the most important tasks that you need to come back to quickly after each time you are interrupted. Don’t get derailed by an interruption and miss a deadline!
- The rest of your to-do list should be comprised of tasks that are important, but not urgent. Practicing prevention means doing those before they become urgent. Planning and preparation for upcoming events or projects fall into this category.
Some people are more disciplined than others to avoid time wasters or trivia. Observe yourself and others and you will see patterns that can be changed. Coaching an employee on good time management is a win-win situation. The employee will develop good work habits for life, and you will get much more productivity now.
What are the most important and urgent items on your to-do list today?
