Prioritise, Prioritise, Prioritise

EVERYONE has too much to do. It is a fact of modern life. So how do we get through it all?

Lists are a good place to start – but even so we will still end up with an A4 sheet full to bursting.

The trick is to get good at prioritizing – what are the really important things that you need to get done?

Some suggest look at your list, and pick the top six items that simply must be done.

(Do not focus on the six – if you prefer five, make it five. The actual number of items is not really the issue – it is the act of focusing on the importance of your choices.)

By picking a set number we impose structure and discipline on ourselves – what is most important to achieve? I have had bosses that have given me three things to do, and when asked what the priority is, it turns out they are all number one. Unsurprisingly, the end result pleases no one.

When we have our list, put them in order.

Start with item one, and do not start item two until the first is complete.

And at the end of the day, any undone item is the start of tomorrow’s priority list.

This can be accused of being far too simple an approach for modern life – but sometimes simple cuts through the complexity of a problem.

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