If you're like most people, you have a to-do list that's a mile long. And if you're like most people, that list keeps getting longer instead of shorter.
So, what's a person to do? According to Entrepreneur.com contributor Thomas Smale, the secret isn't always working harder; usually, it's working smarter. And the smartest thing a person with a long to-do list can do, he says, is to prioritize their daily goals.
"While it may be tempting to tackle the easiest items on your to-do list first and save the more time-consuming and demanding tasks for later, this strategy can quickly lead to procrastination. Instead, it's vital that you prioritize the tasks that will bring you the most benefit," Smale says. "It can be helpful, moreover, to keep in mind the Pareto Principle, more commonly known as the 80/20 rule, when you decide which tasks to tackle first. The 80/20 rule posits that 80 percent of your results come from 20 percent of your work. Use this as a guiding principle to identify which tasks really belong at the top of your to-do list, and don't let less important items get in the way."
Another popular method for prioritizing is called the ABCDE method. "This method encourages you to categorize your to-do list items based on urgency, as follows," continues Smale, who says to categorize the items on your to-do list using the following labels: "A," which means a task is "very important" and will result in "serious negative consequences" if it's not completed; "B," which means a task is "important" and will result in only minor negative consequences if it's not completed; "C," which means a task is "nice to accomplish" and will result in no negative consequences if it's not completed; "D," which means a task should be delegated to someone else; and "E," which means a task should be "eliminated" because it's non-essential.
"No matter what method you use to prioritize your tasks," Smale concludes, "try to focus on the most essential items first rather than simply ticking off less critical tasks because they're easier to complete."
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https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/316183
Questions, Comments, Suggestions?
Contact Successful Meetings Editor in Chief Vincent Alonzo with your "How To" ideas.