To avoid being overwhelmed, here are six steps to prioritizing project tasks
Introduction
A friend of mine gave me Tim Ferris’ book, “The 4-Hour Workweek” last year. Hard work is something I believe in. The title of the book offended me. I eventually got around to reading it. I was so frustrated that I had not read it sooner that I thought, “Why didn’t I?” I was shocked at how many of my time illusions were shattered by the book. The biggest takeaway was that a lack in time is a lack in priorities.
At first, I thought “Really?” It can’t be true! As I continued to read, I realized that just because you are busy doesn’t necessarily mean you are efficient. This got me thinking about Parkinson’s Law. It states that “work expands to fill time”.
Are you a busy person who is unable to finish tasks or scramble the whole day? Are you unable to meet deadlines? There is so much work to do and no idea where to begin. Do you wish there were more hours in the day? If you answered yes to these questions, then you might need to focus on ‘Prioritization. A project manager’s ability to prioritize and work with competing priorities is a crucial skill.
What is a priority?
Prioritization is the designation of a task that is considered more important than others. Prioritization refers to organizing tasks according to their importance. Meeting a deadline is an example of prioritization. This is different from answering a friend’s mail.
Project managers deal with competing priorities every day. There are many software tools that can help you identify priorities. It is ultimately up to the manager to decide what priority is.
Why is it important that tasks are prioritized?
The project manager must learn to manage a long list. Knowing how to prioritize tasks will help you decide where to spend your time. It helps you decide which task should go to a team member, which will allow you to spend your time on more important tasks. You can also answer the workload prioritization interview questions and land that dream job.
Here are some tips to help you prioritize tasks and meet deadlines.
Steps to establish project priorities
Make a list of tasks and responsibilitiesWrite down everything that you need to get done in a day. Don’t worry about the order or the number of tasks that you are writing down.
Next, evaluate the importance of each task. The next step is to rank the tasks according to their value to the project. Priorities can also be determined based on the number and impact of each task. The task ranking can also be aided by knowing the consequences of a project. We will now discuss some important prioritization techniques that can assist you in this step.
Time management is a key aspect of prioritizing. This includes how much time you are willing to devote to a particular responsibility. Either they spend too much or too little time on a task. Both cases can affect productivity. You must ensure that you devote the most time to each project.
Get it done Many of us find that the problem is not in prioritizing and making a list, but in sticking to it. Don’t let the daily tasks pile up overwhelm you if they aren’t important. Do not react to every task that comes your way.
Be open to adapting and changing. At the same time, you should be open to shifting priorities. You should aim to do only what you have set out for yourself during the day. As a project manager, you are constantly dealing with new tasks and responsibilities. Based on urgency and impasse, decide which ones to add to your to-do list.