You may find there are days or weeks when you simply cannot get everything done. Some tasks might be things that could wait while others may be critical. You may need to make some difficult decisions about what gets done and what gets set aside for another time. In order to do this, you need to understand your goals. You will need to ask yourself whether a certain action takes you one step closer to completing a goal or not. This can then help you plan and prioritize in a way that will make you the most productive and results driven .
In Context
Emergency rooms all over the world prioritize the order patients should receive medical care to ensure that the most critical patients receive immediate treatment. Prioritizing is the practice of determining which tasks or projects should receive attention first and which can wait. This same practice can be used in the business world to increase your productivity and reach your career goals.
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You can choose to prioritize your tasks in a variety of ways. You may like one method more than another. You may find you need to determine the best method on a case-by-case basis. Understanding your options is the key to making the best choice.
You have two options when it comes to prioritizing based on difficulty. The chart below lays out the benefits and drawbacks of each approach.
Approach | Pros | Cons |
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Easiest Tasks First |
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Most Difficult Tasks First |
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Some people prefer to be able to jump in, get started, and make immediate progress. Others may prefer getting the most challenging, time-consuming items out of the way first. It is a personal preference, but you need to understand both approaches so you can select the best one for you. You want to choose the one that will lead you to obtain your desired results in the most efficient way.
For instance, urgent tasks include a coworker coming to your desk asking for help with a favor or a text message with a time-sensitive question. Important tasks include creating a budget and self-care, such as exercising or reading. There are tasks that are important and urgent, such as doctor appointments and most meetings. There are also tasks that are neither important nor urgent, such as checking social media.
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If you choose to use the Franklin Covey method, you will need to consider each task and whether it is urgent or important. With this information, you can then rank items in a way that helps you develop a plan for success. Review the chart below to better understand how these elements work together.
Task Elements | Prioritizing | Examples |
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Both Urgent and Important | These tasks have a set deadline that is approaching and they will impact your life in a significant way. These items are priority number one. | A paper due for English class or a medical emergency. |
Important but not Urgent | These tasks do not have a set deadline but they do impact your life. These tasks should not be first on your list, but they should be high on your list since they have an impact on your life. | Time spent on hobbies or doing long-term goal setting. |
Feels Urgent, but it not actually Important | These tasks keep you busy but you are not actually accomplishing anything in working toward your goals. These are not high-priority items. | Responding to emails/texts immediately or checking to see how many likes your last Instagram post received. |
Non-Urgent and Non-Important | These are tasks often done to waste time or procrastinate. These do not have any real priority. | Surfing the internet or flipping through a gossip magazine. |