Sep 10
27
How to Prioritize in Order to Increase Productivity
Before you start the process of prioritizing you should ask yourself a few questions to establish a baseline at which to begin. This will improve time management and make you a more productive worker.
- Why were you hired for this job? Are you accomplishing things that your boss set out for you to do? Have a talk with your boss to make sure you are on track.
- What is it that you do that adds the highest value to your job? If you are not sure, ask your co-workers.
- What are the best results you have achieved on any project you have worked on at work? Think about why you were successful. Can you use this as a blueprint to be successful on future projects?
- How do you make a difference at work? Is there something unique that only you can do? Use it to your advantage whenever possible.
- What is the most valuable use of your time at work? Take a few minutes and think about it. This is a good place to start prioritizing your work to improve productivity.
Separate out the big items, the urgent matters that require your immediate attention. There are usually a few big ticket items and loads of smaller issues. Don’t spend too much time worrying about the small stuff. Another way of looking at it is that the more important an issue or project is the more heat you are going to take if it doesn’t get done.
Once you have established what is your number one priority view it within the context of the above bullet points:
1. Is it an issue or project that your boss expects you to accomplish? If not, you need to talk.
2. Apply what you do well to accomplish this project or issue.
3. Think about how you can be just as successful with this project or issue as you have been on a previous one where you excelled.
4. Apply your unique ability to the task.
5. Use your time wisely as you have done while completing similar issues.
Now take the second item of highest importance and apply the same technique and then go down the list. The less important an issue is the less time you will have to spend on it and some issues you will be able to discard all together.
