On prioritization: my 3 quick tips
It is no surprise (and no shame either) to occasionally get lost and start drowning in the endless ocean of emails and actions being constantly shot your way. Prioritization seems to be a no-brainer, and anybody is able to explain how to do it in theory (or do when not under pressure). But as soon as things pile up, life gets busy, and you start to work under stress, prioritization seems to not just step up to a whole different league of skills, it becomes a whole new sport. Here are a few strategies I find extremely helpful when getting myself organized and focused when the workload kicks up a notch.
Number one corporate-friendly strategy: the urgency vs. impact matrix.
It is very simple. Whatever is high impact and high urgency gets a priority. I highly recommend you only pick three tasks of this nature (if possible) a day. If it does not seem likely, I highly recommend revisiting the definitions of urgent and impactful :) and potentially revising the scope of your responsibility and tasks. If there is still no other option than to do more of such tasks a day, you still can sort based on the impact or based on urgency and then work through tasks based on the chronology you define.
Strategy number two: weigh input vs. output.
Sometimes people tend to put off simple tasks that might have a significant impact (e.g. sending out an email asking for feedback/input or sharing meeting minutes/updates) just because the task seems like a menial one, something that can be completed anytime. And then it gets done… never. Because there always is something with higher perceived risks or urgency. In my experience, it is beneficial to get these small but impactful items off your list as soon as possible. You get the ball over the net, and while others get enough time to work on their part of the tasks, you can get it off your mind, off your to-do list, and invest your time and energy on something else.
And my final tip: eat the frog first.
Each morning, take a good hard look on your to-do list, and according to the rules above, pick your three priorities of the day and tackle the one you dread the most first. The feeling of getting the shittiest part of your day out of your way first thing in the morning is just glorious. Not even saying you prevent yourself from poisoning your whole day (or even a full week) by pushing it in front of you. Unless you are a dung beetle, I see no benefit in carrying the shit with you as you stroll through your week. Just get it done. And trust me - it feels gooood!
