When it comes to effective task management, there is one idea that quickly emerges: prioritization.
When we have a multitude of tasks to accomplish, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and not know where to start. That’s why prioritization is an essential part of effective task management.
Prioritizing tasks: definition
Prioritization consists of ranking tasks according to their importance and urgency. This allows you to focus on the most important and urgent tasks first, and avoid wasting time on secondary tasks.
Prioritization methods
The first step in prioritization is to identify all the tasks that need to be accomplished. Next, it is important to evaluate each task according to its importance and urgency. There are several methods for this, such as the Eisenhower matrix or the ABC method.
The Eisenhower matrix
The Eisenhower matrix is a prioritization method that consists of ranking tasks according to their importance and urgency. The tasks are thus divided into four categories: important and urgent, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, and neither important nor urgent. This method allows you to focus on the important and urgent tasks first, while planning the important but non-urgent tasks for later. It is quite simple and visual.
The ABC method
The ABC method consists of classifying tasks according to their importance, but also according to their added value. The tasks are thus divided into three categories: A, B and C. Category A tasks are the most important and have a high added value, while category C tasks are the least important and have a low added value. This method allows you to focus on the most important and useful tasks first.
Planning of priority tasks
Once the priority tasks have been identified, it is important to plan them in a calendar or a task management tool. This ensures that the most important tasks are done first, while avoiding distractions and interruptions.
The order of priority may change depending on the events. It is therefore important to review them regularly to ensure optimal risk management. For example, a weekly routine allows you to review and re-assess priorities.