Learn how to prioritize

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Learn how to prioritize

Tuesday, 13 December 2005

Why do some people seem to work hard yet achieve almost nothing, while others seem to get lots done with very little effort? The answer is to be found in prioritization skills.

Without the ability to recognize what's important, and the discipline to look at that first, a strong work ethic is not much help.

Fortunately, the ability to prioritize is an easy skill to learn. It involves simply asking yourself two questions:

What needs to be done?
What is most important?

It amazes me the number of obviously talented, hard-working people that I meet who have a difficult time completing tasks. This is because they haven't learnt to ask themselves these two simple questions. Or at least, to ask them properly.

Perfectionists in particular, find it very difficult to prioritize. Their answer to each of the questions above is likely to be "everything". You will soon find them spending vast time and resources on some detail of a problem that others may not even notice.

Nobody can achieve everything, and there are many things that may just not be worth the resources you spend on them. If you can't focus, you'll quickly become confused and bogged down with life.

Prioritizing takes discipline. It's as much about decide what's unimportant, as what is. You must focus in, laser-like on the problems and opportunities that face you, and ask the questions above.

To the first question, you must keep your list as short as possible. Only look at what are the main tasks to be done. Be ruthless in stripping out the detail of a task. You can come back and reassess your list later, if necessary, to work on the detail. In the beginning, only focus on the main points.

The second question also takes restraint. Concentrate on only the most important tasks facing you to begin with. Teach yourself to concentrate just on those at the top of your list.

To begin with, you may want to write down a list of important tasks you have and number them, if that helps. Some people find it easier to track things by writing them down, others can do so in their heads. Whichever suits you is fine.

Prioritizing is a skill you can apply to any area of your life: business, work, home and personal. When you're looking at where to spend your time and resources, always focus on those two questions:

What needs to be done?

What is most important?

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