Manage priorities not time


Have you ever asked yourself how some people can juggle so many tasks and priorities effectively and efficiently? How they manage to run 3 - 4 different projects at the same time and still get the job done. Is it really possible to efficiently use your time and get stuff done? We often go through periods were we feel like we are not being as productive as we should and this stems from not properly planning how we are going to complete our tasks. American journalist and book author Tony Schwartz once said "Force yourself to prioritise so that you know that you will finish at least one critical task during the day when you have the most energy and the fewest distractions". There a few habits you can adopt that will enable you to be more productive and get more important things done :

  • Categorize your priorities
    One of the main causes of being unproductive is having all your tasks mixed up. We often chase many different things at the same time and the end result is not doing anything at the end of the day. At he start of every week you should create a categorized priority list. The categories are work, relationship and self. Under each of the 3 categories have at least 3 critically important tasks that you need to do and ensure that by the end of the week the tasks in each respective category have been completed.

  • Slow down
    I read an article a few days ago were the author stressed on the importance of slowing down. "Don't confuse activity with productivity. Many people are simply busy being busy" ~ Robin Sharma. At times were you just feel like a lot is going on and it is becoming overwhelming it is always nice to just take a step back, relax and clear your mind. Slowing down is always the best way to have a clearer view on what needs to be done and how you need to do it.
  • Avoid multitasking
    Like i said before, chasing a lot of tasks at the same time will often lead to not having anything done. Multitasking may feel like the best way to get things done but it brings the risk of half baked results. Focus on one thing at a time until its completed and then move on to the next task. The tasks should be in sequence however so breaking down a large task into smaller more manageable tasks is the way to go.

In support to these 3 main habits there a few others you can use interchangeably to better improve your productivity.
  • Get up 2 hours earlier
  • Do the most important thing in the morning
  • Focus on your progress and not the outcome
  • Set routines
  • Leave some free time in your schedule
I hope you have a more productive week ahead of you and you get more things done. Focus on utilizing minutes and not hours, create a categorized priority list and avoid biting of more than you can chew. Remember you are amazing and you can do anything you put your mind to. Have a blessed week and Thank God its Monday

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