In my last blog entry, I touched on the importance of effective prioritization. Setting and managing priorities is an essential component to running any business or organization effectively. Today, I would like to dive into the subject a bit deeper.
You may recall that I identified four “levels” of prioritization. Every item on your to-do list falls into one of these categories:
1) Very Important. These are the tasks and functions that are “make-or-break” for your business. These often relate directly to the delivery of your products and services to clients. Therefore, these tasks demand your immediate attention. But in the long run, your objective should be to create systems which keep these tasks running smoothly so that they don’t demand your personal attention.
2) Important. These are tasks that must be done, and soon. Often, if they are neglected, they become a “Very Important” task. If you can train yourself to address these tasks immediately, you can avoid the stress that comes with having a number of “Very Important” tasks demanding your attention.
3) Not that Important. These are tasks that are not critical, but that would be desirable to accomplish. It is critical that you not mistake “non-urgent” tasks for unimportant tasks. Some of the most important tasks, such as strategic planning, may not have a hard deadline attached. Nonetheless, they are still vital to the future of your business and must be addressed.
4) Not Important. Finally, a portion of the tasks on your to-do list are likely not worth doing. So don’t waste your time on them! It takes discipline and focus to learn to “just say no”, but when you’re a busy manager, you can’t afford to waste your time. So don’t!
At the end of the day, effective prioritization is a key factor that separates great managers and business owners from the rest. We all have a finite amount of time available to us—the question is, how will we spend it? Taking the time to prioritize, and then sticking to your priorities, will ensure that you spend your time as effectively as possible.
If you’d like to learn more, or if you’d like some help along the way, please get in touch with me today!