Last updated on Mar 18, 2024

What do you do if your career demands effective time management and task prioritization?

If your career demands effective time management and task prioritization, you may feel overwhelmed by the number of tasks, deadlines, and responsibilities you have to juggle. However, there are some strategies and tools that can help you manage your time and tasks more efficiently and productively. In this article, we will share some tips on how to plan, prioritize, execute, and evaluate your work, as well as some common pitfalls to avoid.

1 Plan your work

Before you start working on your tasks, you need to have a clear idea of what you need to do, when you need to do it, and how much time and resources you have. To plan your work, you can use a calendar, a planner, a to-do list, or a project management app. Whatever tool you use, make sure you write down all your tasks, including their deadlines, importance, urgency, and estimated duration. This will help you visualize your workload and identify any conflicts or gaps.

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Dave Williams

#1 Bestselling author, Keynote Speaker, life and business strategist and multi-award-winning Peak Performance coach
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All careers and life needs to have a good handle on good time management Prioritising tasks is essential and in so many cases, one persons priority is not the next persons Some quick tips that may help here are: Outcome - start by focussing on your outcome on why the task needs completing Then ask yourself why it needs completing (that will often help with prioritising as well) NB Many people put off the tasks they don't like doing until they absolutely need to - Nope, do these tasks first and get them out of the way Action - What actions need to be taken to achieve this task (Also ask yourself who else will benefit from this action) Measure - Measure if your actions are working to give you the results you need - if not change your action

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2 Prioritize your tasks

Once you have a list of your tasks, you need to decide which ones are more important and urgent than others. A useful method to prioritize your tasks is the Eisenhower matrix, which divides them into four categories: do, decide, delegate, and delete. Do tasks are urgent and important, and should be done first. Decide tasks are important but not urgent, and should be scheduled for later. Delegate tasks are urgent but not important, and should be assigned to someone else. Delete tasks are neither urgent nor important, and should be eliminated or minimized.

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Adrian (Ado) Ninnes

People, culture & career development nerd │ AI explorer
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Feeling overwhelmed by your workload is like having a overflowing toolbox. You reach for what you need, but everything comes tumbling out! To truly be effective, prioritise your tasks. The Eisenhower Matrix is like a handy organiser, sorting your tasks into "do first," "schedule later," "delegate," and "ditch altogether." Bonus Tip: Don't be afraid to adjust your priorities throughout the day! Things pop up, deadlines shift. Review your list daily and make tweaks as needed. A flexible approach to prioritising keeps you on top of your ever-changing workday!

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3 Execute your work

After you have planned and prioritized your work, you need to focus on executing your tasks efficiently and effectively. To do this, you can batch similar tasks together to reduce switching costs and increase focus. The Pomodoro technique can also be useful for breaking down your work into 25-minute intervals with short breaks in between. Additionally, setting SMART goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound can help you stay on track. Avoid multitasking and distractions to maintain productivity and quality of work. Finally, don’t hesitate to ask for help or feedback when needed.

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4 Evaluate your work

Finally, you need to evaluate your work and see how well you managed your time and tasks. Reviewing your completed tasks and tracking your time can help you assess if they met your goals and expectations. Reflecting on your challenges and successes can help you identify what you can improve or replicate. Additionally, don't forget to celebrate your achievements and reward yourself for your hard work.

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5 Avoid common pitfalls

Managing your time and tasks can be difficult and you may encounter some common pitfalls that can hinder your performance and satisfaction. Procrastination, perfectionism, overcommitment, and burnout are all things to look out for. To prevent these issues, it's important to be aware of your habits, preferences, and limitations and to have a positive and realistic attitude. Additionally, it's essential to balance work with personal life and take care of your physical and mental health. Doing so will help you avoid these pitfalls and ensure successful task management.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Tayla Ramos Pereira de Oliveira

Consultora de RH | Psicóloga | CHO - Chief Happiness Officer | Desenvolvimento de Carreira | Felicidade Corporativa | Recursos Humanos
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Já ouviu falar da Tríade do Tempo criado pelo Christian Barbosa? É uma atividade que conseguimos identificar como estamos dividindo nosso tempo entre tarefas importantes, urgentes e circunstanciais. Após essa identificação, podemos analisar e priorizar o que realmente é necessário para que possamos atingir nosso objetivo! Esse exercício está disponível gratuitamente na internet, basta procurar por: A Tríade do Tempo criado de Christian Barbosa. O livro aprofunda o assunto e nos ajuda a refletir sobre cada tarefa que estamos realizando.

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What do you do if your career demands effective time management and task prioritization?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Plan your work

2 Prioritize your tasks

3 Execute your work

4 Evaluate your work

5 Avoid common pitfalls

6 Here’s what else to consider

Career Development

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What do you do if your career demands effective time management and task prioritization?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Plan your work

2 Prioritize your tasks

3 Execute your work

4 Evaluate your work

5 Avoid common pitfalls

6 Here’s what else to consider

Career Development

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