5 Tips to Prioritize your Work

There are times, when each and every work seems like a priority. It looks difficult to figure out where to begin with. All this confusion quite often impacts productivity at the workplace.

Having too many responsibilities at the same time can become stressful. However it is all manageable if you learn to prioritize your work. Check out these tips to prioritize tasks on day-to-day basis:

1. Create a list

First thing in the morning, create a to-do-list of all the tasks that need to be done that day. Rank your work according to their importance or urgency. Ideally, you should put client’s work over internal work. Delaying client’s work may hamper your delivery schedules and hence it should be checked off first.

2. Set realistic targets

When you set your priorities, be realistic. Estimate the time each task will take. Be practical about how much work you can finish within that day or week. Setting unrealistic deadlines will lead to frustration and stress.

3. Don’t be a slave to e-mails

Don’t rush to check your e-mail every time other minute. Mobile devices, iPhones and Blackberry’s have enabled you to carry your office with you. However, they also have ensured that you unintentionally develop a habit of checking your email every few minutes.

Unless you are expecting some urgent mails, do not keep tapping into your inbox frequently. Check your emails at preset regular intervals. Or else not only will your emails take up more of your productive time, they will push other urgent matters behind.

4. Multi-task wisely

Some people like doing a number of things all at the same time. And the result is less productivity because none of your work gets your undivided attention. Multitasking is good but it should not affect quality of work.

Ideally manage different type of tasks in a day but at one time, give your attention to a single task.

5. Tips for managing urgent tasks

How would you handle two equally urgent tasks? Figure out which task will be more time-consuming. Ideally choose the task that will take less time, so that you can finish it off and then focus your mind on the rest of the work.

For the CEO, prioritizing work can become difficult at times. If you are finding it tough to set your priorities, consult with other CEO peers at a CEO peer group or CEO association. In such CEO clubs, you meet experts and other CEOs from non-competing industries.

A CEO club provides an easy atmosphere where you can share your fears with the experts openly and get in-depth insight into dealing with a particular situation.