How to Properly Prioritise Work Tasks

Written by

Daria Olieshko

Published on

26 Jul 2022

Read time

3 - 5 min read

Recurring changes in the work plan continuously disrupt the list of priorities. This can lead to negative consequences in productivity and team progress, irrational time management and missed deadlines. Is there a way to stay on top of things and make time for everything?

The best way to prioritise tasks is to write them down

To start with, you have to make plans for the near future by creating a detailed list of all of the assignments and their deadlines for a day, a week or a month. Instead of trying to memorise everything, you should start a work diary and write down all of your tasks. This psychological trick highlights the importance of your work.

Organise everything

Once you have compiled a list of assignments, you might notice similarities between them. This isn’t surprising as most tasks can be put into three categories: single, recurring and project.

Single If you are given a single task, it's better to do it first thing tomorrow. Make a list of small assignments and cross out some of them every day. Before you decide on the most important tasks, consider how urgent they are and how much time you need to complete them. Your goal is to finish assignments during your shift. If you don’t have time, do the task tomorrow. Note that this method doesn’t work for immediate assignments.
Recurring You don’t have to write down every single thing that has to be done on a daily basis. For example, if you share articles on social media or are in charge of email campaigns. With that said, a schedule should be made for tasks that are tied to specific hours and days. This will significantly simplify the sorting of work priorities.
Projects Projects are tasks that are more difficult to complete than simple assignments. Work on them as long as you can, but don’t try to take on several projects simultaneously. We recommend that you create a list of projects and choose the most urgent and important out of all of them. Don’t pick up a new project without finishing the previous one.

Important assignments come first

Creating an alphabetical or a numerical list won’t work. Your goal is not to blindly follow the items on the list, but to concentrate on high priority tasks. The remaining work can be done in whichever order you deem necessary.In time you will learn how to choose work with the highest level of priority and not let it become a problem. If you follow these rules, you won't believe how quickly the working process will become.

If you're intrigued by effective task management, you might want to explore the concept of [time management](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_management)" target="_blank">time management, which plays a crucial role in maintaining productivity. Additionally, understanding the basics of [project management](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_management)" target="_blank">project management can significantly enhance your ability to deliver projects on time and within budget. For those who deal with recurring tasks, learning about [workflow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workflow)" target="_blank">workflow can provide insights into streamlining processes and improving efficiency. Embracing these concepts can transform your approach to prioritizing tasks and achieving your work goals.