Hi everyone! It’s Mayuko from EQIQ.

It has been almost a year since covid-19 hit the entire world. How are you doing?

Measures have been taken to prevent the spread of covid-19 in Tokyo, but the situation is not really getting any better. All we can do is pray that the pandemic will end as soon as possible.

Today, I'd like to talk about how to prioritize tasks at work. Do you ever wonder where to start when you have a lot of things going on in your daily life and at work? Have you ever made the mistake of starting one task, only to run out of time and not finish another task in time? In this article, I would like to share some tips that have helped me prioritize tasks at work. I really hope this will be of some help to you! ☺

1. Time Management Matrix

Many of you may already know this, but Stephen Covey’s (the author of the world-famous book "7 Habits of Highly Effective People”) task management method is very helpful.

This method is divided into four categories.

A: Tasks with high importance and high urgency

B: Tasks with high importance but low urgency

C: Tasks with high urgency but low importance

D: Tasks with low importance and low urgency

After visualizing where your tasks fall in these four categories, it should be easier to decide how to prioritize them.

I usually summarize my tasks for the week each Monday morning, and divide them between these four categories. After that, all I need to do is complete tasks in this order: A → C → B → D. This makes them easier to manage, and it is even easier to do so with task management tools such as Trello. I personally have cards for "things to do today", "things to do tomorrow", and "things to finish this week"  on Trello, and cross them off once they are done. At the end of the day, it's really satisfying to have no "things to do today” left!

By the way, it is better to finish important tasks in the morning when you still have plenty of cognitive resources. So, make sure to complete your most important tasks in the morning!

Here are some detailed prioritization techniques to help you get started.

2. Focus for set amounts of time.

People can be more efficient by focusing on a task within a limited time frame. Try setting a time limit and telling yourself "I will finish this task by this time”. Setting up an alarm can help with this too.

For instance, I am writing this on the train and my goal is to finish it before my stop.

3. Don't worry about it being perfect. Instead, get it done.

If you spend too much time trying to perfect one task, you may end up missing the deadline of another task. One way you can work efficiently is by putting more effort into your most important tasks, and focusing on speed rather than energy for less important tasks.

4. Use to-do lists.

In order to have a clear idea of what you need to do in a day, make a to-do list. There are many ways you can make a to-do list, such as notebooks, calendars, etc. Try to find the method that works best for you. I personally recommend using sticky notes. I talked about it in another article, have a look at it if you can.

5. Delegate some tasks

Do you have days where you have a lot of work to do, and don't think you can get it all done in time? If so, delegate some of your work to a colleague or team member. Other people may not understand your task volume as well as you might think. When you can't finish by the due date or deadline no matter what, it is essential to ask others for help. Similarly, if a team member is struggling with a task, offer to lend a helping hand. Also, if you have a boss you can trust, don’t be afraid to ask for advice when you’re struggling with deadlines.

Did this article help you?

People who are good at their job are the ones who know how to prioritize their tasks. By starting with the most important and urgent tasks, you will be able to do your work more efficiently. This, in turn, will lead to better performance at work.

I really hope this was insightful to you.

Thank you for reading ☺

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Mayuko Suzuki
Team Leader | Sales Support

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