Prioritisation tips to get your to-do list done

You write a to-do list. You’re clear on what you need to do. But somehow, come the end of the week, the most important jobs on your list are unchecked. You end up feeling frustrated and annoyed with yourself.

I’ve been guilty of this in the past. I would get stuck with business development or admin tasks I didn’t really enjoy doing. Instead of tackling my priorities I would choose an easier task or a quick win to make me feel better.

The good news is I found a way to tackle my prioritisation demons. Here are my coaching tips for a simple approach to getting that to-do list DONE!   

Identify your ‘something else’

In LBP (life before prioritisation), I knew what needed to be done by tomorrow and would still allow myself to be distracted by something else. And what happens when you get distracted?

Yes, that’s right, the big priority task still needs to be done! So you end up doing it late in the day when you have limited time and work late to complete it. You get frustrated because it’s your own fault and you’ve not allowed sufficient time to do it to the required standard.

We all know social media is a huge consumer of time. Let’s face it, you can login to your socials intending to post and log off, but half an hour later you’re still scrolling and liking other people’s posts. In fact, you’ve seen so much content you’ve probably forgotten your original post idea!

Social media is a big distraction, but it’s not everyone’s distraction. If you work from home yours might be pegging out the washing, watering your house plants or tidying up. Identifying and acknowledging your distraction is key to overcoming it. 

Take a break and focus

Whether you work at home, on the road, or at your employer, we all need regular breaks. Recognise your ‘something else’ and take a short break to do it. Have a brew and a wander, then draw your mind back to your priority and FOCUS!

Break big tasks into smaller chunks

It’s hard to accomplish a task when in your mind you make it into something bigger, harder, and more time consuming than it really is. Most of us have a tendency to turn big or important jobs into overwhelming chores.   

Think of it like this. Make the big task something you become used to doing by doing it every day, week or month. If you make baby steps towards your goal on a regular basis, it becomes much less stressful and arduous.  

What needs to be done by tomorrow?

Have you committed to a delivery date? Is someone else dependent on you completing your task to do theirs? Is that social post time sensitive? Be ruthless. Tackle your highest priority tasks first.   

You control your own time

It’s within your power to decide how much you can achieve in one day. Be realistic. Don’t try to cram too much in. You’ll never achieve a list of ten, or even five, priorities in one day. Once you’ve set out your tasks, take them one at a time.

Focus and commit to keep motivation levels high

When you tackle your highest priority first, the outcome is less stress, less frustration, and an increased sense of achievement. Give each task the time it needs to do it correctly. You’ll feel much calmer, and this sense of calmness will help you do a better job overall.

By focusing on my priorities first, I’ve realised the way I approached work in the past caused stress and disappointment and made me compromise on the quality of delivery. I pride myself on planning but I used to plan and not deliver. I planned those tasks because they were a priority!

When I began prioritising my work in this way it made such a difference.

Learn to prioritise as you go

Nobody is perfect. We’re all still learning and there will be setbacks. There will always be a colleague asking for help, a knock at the door, or an urgent demand in your inbox.

There are times when I fail to achieve my priorities during work hours because I’m still learning how to prioritise my time. It’s a process. The more you get it right, the quicker it becomes habit. And habits take 21 days to form. That’s what all the motivational quotes say, isn’t it?

Give these tips a go and let me know if this post sparks change for you. If it works, why not share your own experiences of setting and achieving your priorities. I’d love to hear them!