Sort out your priorities!

26 Jan

How to distinguish between the important and the urgent, and prioritise your workload for success.

In the whirlwind of digital marketing and operations, I am finding one struggle that is common to all my clients (and their clients), not matter the industry. It is… discerning true priorities from the chaos of seemingly urgent tasks. As the Operations Queen, I’m so often privy to the backend of a businesses and let me tell you - one of the very first things I do, to tackle my client’s to-do list (full of equally super-important, can’t-possibly-not-be-done-immediately tasks)…. Is to create THE PRIORITY MATRIX.

Also known as the Eisenhower Matrix is a no-nonsense 2x2 grid that acts as a guiding compass through the labyrinth of to-do lists, helping you categorise tasks by urgency and importance. Intrigued? YOU SHOULD BE! Let’s make one together now:

Step 1: List Your Tasks

Start by dumping your entire to-do list onto paper. Get it all out there.

Step 2: Craft the Matrix

Grab another sheet, sketch a 2x2 grid, and label the columns 'Urgent' and 'Less Urgent.' For the rows, tag them 'Important' and 'Not Important.'

Step 3: Sort Your Tasks

Now, take each task and drop it into their designated square. Witness the magic unfold as your priorities take shape!

🔥 Urgent & Important: These need immediate attention. Get them done, and get them done now.

📅 Not Urgent & Important: Schedule these for later. They might not be pressing, but they're crucial for the long game.

😊 Urgent & Unimportant: Delegate these tasks. Free up your plate for the real game-changers.

🚮 Not Urgent & Not Important: Time to cut ties. Some tasks just don't contribute to the end goal. Bin them and move on.

It should look like this:

That’s all well and good… but isn’t everything on my list important? Isn’t all of it urgent (bloody feels so, doesn’t it).

We get to my personal peeve now and I’d like you to repeat after me:

NOT EVERYTHING THAT’S URGENT, IS IMPORTANT

MOST THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT, AREN’T URGENT

And if you’re struggling for a difference between ‘important’ and 'urgent, I find it useful to look at it in terms of consequences.

⌛ ‘Urgent’ matters require immediate attention and are unavoidable and often have very clear consequences for delays.
📈 ‘Important’ matters contribute to long-term goals and life values and they often require more time for the thinking process or making the decision - the consequences of those tasks should be less immediate but no less dire. (I’d recommend breaking those down into smaller chunks of tasks!)

It may be tempting to see all tasks as important, all to-do’s as crucial to some bigger picture. If you’re feeling you’re still struggling with allocating tasks between importance and urgency, I’d invite you to look at your long-term goals. Maybe you’ve not had a recent look at them, perhaps you’ve lost sight of the steps you need to achieve them. You might even be chasing after goals that aren’t yours, making you feel behind - comparititis is a real issue we all face! Don’t worry - I’m sure if you just find a little time to reflect on where you are and how far you’ve come (big fan of gratitude reflection, me), you’ll start to find it easier to give more energy to what’s truly Important.

Now, finish by saying this: working out what is truly important versus what is merely urgent will help you avoid the frantic headless-chicken dance. By understanding this distinction, you gain control over your priorities, ceasing to run in circles and instead moving purposefully towards your goals. With the Eisenhower Matrix as your guide, conquer your priorities and watch your productivity soar.

I’m sure you’ll find this helpful - I know I do, in my as well as my clients’ businesses!