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Do you ever feel overwhelmed by your long list of tasks?

Whether it's at work or in your personal life, prioritizing tasks can help:

  1. plan your time

  2. focus your attention

  3. increase productivity

  4. meet all deadlines

Checking items on to-do list

1. Create A Master Tasklist

Start by consolidating all your tasks into one list. This step allows to you to see all your tasks in one location before sorting and organizing your tasks (next step!).

Here are some tools to get started!

Checklist in computer

Online Tools

  • Google Keep

  • Microsoft OneNote

  • ClickUp

Notebook

Offline Tools

  • Notebook

  • Sticky Notes

  • Day Planner or agenda

2. Sort Tasks Using Eisenhower Matrix

Use the Eisenhower Matrix to sort tasks by urgency and importance. Once you identify where the tasks fit in the matrix, start working on the recommended action for each quadrant.

  • Do urgent and important tasks

  • Schedule not urgent but important tasks

  • Delegate urgent but not important tasks

  • Eliminate not urgent and not important tasks

Eisenhower Matrix to Prioritize Tasks

Image inspired by Todoist

Quiz

You have identified the task "Order more sticky notes" as a necessary task, but it can wait. What course of action would you take for this task?

3. Breakdown Tasks Into Smaller Pieces

Sometimes tasks can be too broad and vague. Breaking down tasks into smaller, manageable ones can make it easier to achieve.

Make your tasks more:

  1. Specific

  2. Measurable

  3. Time-bound

Meme of Drake liking smaller more achievable tasks

Flaticon IconPick The Smaller Tasks That Support The Broader Task

Task: Apply for a Masters Program

Smaller Task 1: Research top 5 universities with program of interest by April 15

Smaller Task 2: Gather all supporting documents by May 15

Smaller Task 3: Complete application submissions for top 3 universities by June 1

Quiz

Which of the above smaller tasks make the broad task more achievable?

4. Create A Daily List Of Tasks

Now that you have sorted and broken down your master task list, create a daily list.

  1. Create your daily task list at the end of the day or the morning

  2. Organize tasks in order of priority with most important task at the top

  3. Only move to the next task only you have completed a task (avoid multitasking!)

  4. Add remaining tasks to tomorrow's task list

Gif with text 'Things to do today'

Did you know?

According to research by Stanford University, multitasking can reduce your productivity and efficiency because your brain can only focus on one task at a time!

Take Action

If you are ready to start prioritizing your tasks and never missing a deadline, here is your cheat sheet to get started!

Lady making a checkmark in the air

License:

This Byte has been authored by

KV

Karishma Vaz

Learning Content Developer

English

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