4 effective methods for prioritising your tasks

Task management is a daily challenge in both our professional and personal lives. So how can we be sure, in this world of constant demands and far too short days, that we are prioritising the tasks that are most likely to help us achieve our objectives? How can our ability to prioritise these tasks effectively become an indispensable asset? Rémy Jourdan, a specialist in personal development, management and interpersonal communication, explains.

Prioritise tasks and efficient time managementis lying can make all the difference between an accomplished day and a frustrating one, at the end of which you go home with a feeling of unfinished business or even guilt.

There are several methods to guide you. Here are four that use the art of prioritisation. Each offers a unique approach to helping you cope with the daily barrage of tasks.

1. The Eisenhower matrix for effective prioritisation

The Eisenhower matrix is named after the former US President and General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was renowned for his ability to manage time and priorities effectively. This classic prioritisation method is based on a 2×2 system. The matrix categorises tasks according to their degree of urgency and importance.

This matrix divides your tasks into four categories:

• Important and urgent These tasks require immediate attention and are directly linked to your fundamental objectives. These are the tasks you need to tackle first. They are your absolute priority.
• Important, but not urgent: These tasks have a major impact on your long-term objectives. But they don't require immediate action. Plan time to tackle them appropriately.
• Urgent, but not important: Delegating or getting things done quickly are often the best options. Often misleading, these tasks seem pressing. But they don't necessarily contribute to your fundamental objectives. They are often distractions or urgent requests... responding more to the needs of others than to your own needs. You can therefore delegate them, if possible, or manage them quickly, but without investing too much time.
• Neither important nor urgent : These tasks are unproductive activities. Avoid letting them steal your precious time. They are distractions that take your attention away from the essentials and are often time-consuming. Reduce the time spent on this dial to a minimum.

Using this matrix, you can prioritise your tasks according to their long-term impact and degree of urgency. This allows you to make informed, calm decisions.

Example

A project management team in a financial services company uses the Eisenhower matrix to prioritise its daily tasks:

• Important and urgent: Dealing with a customer emergency linked to a critical financial transaction. This task is both important (high financial risk) and urgent (imminent deadline).
• Important, but not urgent : Prepare a quarterly performance report for customers. This task is important for maintaining customer satisfaction, but does not need to be dealt with immediately.
• Urgent, but not important: Reply to a routine e-mail from a colleague requesting information on a minor project. This task is urgent, because it concerns an immediate request. But it does not have a significant impact on the main objectives.

Neither important nor urgent : Redesign the customer information leaflet to make it more attractive. This task is neither important nor urgent, at least in relation to the others, and can be postponed.

2. The added value method for evaluating tasks

This method involves evaluating each task in terms of two key factors: the potential impact on your objectives and the effort required to achieve them. By assigning a numerical value to each factor (for example, a score from 1 to 5), you can calculate the relationship between impact and effort for each task.

This helps you to identify the high-impact tasks that require your priority efforts.

By prioritising those tasks that offer a "good impact/effort "By focusing on the activities that generate the most significant results with the least possible effort, you optimise your efficiency. You will invest your energy intelligently and spend it wisely.

This is the typical logic of efficiency: the tasks to prioritise are those that offer the best returns per unit of effort.

Example

The management team of a manufacturing company has to decide between two potential projects. It evaluates each project according to its impact/effort ratio.

Project A (new product) could generate additional sales of €1 million per year, which is considerable for the company. Score : 5. On the other hand, the development and production of this new product would require significant resources in terms of time and manpower, but within the resource ceiling. Score : 4.

Project B (process optimisation) could result in cost savings of around €300,000 per year. Note: 3. although it requires some effort, process optimisation is less intensive in terms of time and human resources than Project A. Note: 2.

The result is that, although it may seem counter-intuitive given the considerable impact of project A, project B is chosen. Project A offers a ratio of 1.25 (impact 5/effort 4), while project B offers a ratio of 1.5 (impact 3/effort 2). The company can achieve significant cost savings with relatively less effort than with project A.

3. The Pomodoro technique for prioritising through concentration

If you struggle with procrastination or find it hard to stay focused, the Pomodoro technique could be the solution. Named after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer ("pomodoro" in Italian), it's an approach to prioritisation that's as simple as it is innovative. It involves dividing up your day into fairly short intervals of time, usually 25 minutes (called "pomodoros"), followed by a short 5-minute break. After 4 consecutive pomodoros, you give yourself a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

This different approach to prioritisation is based on the virtues of the concentration An interval work cycle relies on our ability to maintain maximum concentration over short but repetitive periods.

Dedicating each 25-minute interval to a specific task forces us to work with maximum concentration, and to deal with complex tasks in small steps, while maintaining a high level of mental energy. This allows us to make steady progress without becoming mentally exhausted: the regular breaks are there to empty the mental load and recharge the batteries.

Example

A freelance writer has to manage several tasks simultaneously, including writing articles, creating content for social media and editing client documents. During each pomodoro, they concentrate on a specific task.

For example, during the first pomodoro, he does documentary research for a new article. The timer he uses reminds him not to get unnecessarily lost in time-consuming searches (classic with Google).

During the second, he sketches out a plan for his article. During the third, he changes tasks completely and works on content for social media, and so on.

After completing 4 consecutive pomodoros, he takes a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes to relax, recharge his batteries and answer emails or calls if necessary.

In addition to direct efficiency during the execution of tasks, this method enables him to better evaluate the units of time required for each type of activity and therefore improve his ability to plan.

4. The MoSCoW method for classifying tasks

This method is often used in the project management or software development, but it can also be applied to task management in general. The idea is to classify each task into one of the following categories:

• Must have: the must-do tasks that are essential to the success of your project or the achievement of your objectives. You'll need to prioritise these tasks.
• Should have: tasks that are important but not essential in the short term. You'll have to do them once the 'must-have' tasks have been completed.
• Could have : desirable but non-critical tasks. If time allows, they can be tackled after the tasks in the first two categories.
• Won't have : tasks that are less of a priority or that can be delegated or eliminated altogether without compromising objectives.

By using the MoSCoW method, you can make informed decisions about what MUST be done first and what you COULD do, postpone or eliminate.

Example 

A mobile application development team has to prioritise the functionalities of a new online shopping application when it is launched:

• Must have : implementation of the secure payment function, product display and shopping basket. These features are essential to the basic experience of the application.

• Should have : integration of the price comparison function and advanced search filters. These features enhance the user experience, but are not critical to the initial launch.
• Could have : addition of a function for personalised recommendations and sharing on social networks. These features add value, but can be integrated at a later date.
• Won't have : integration of a live chat function for real-time customer support. This functionality is not at all decisive for the initial launch.

By using the MoSCoW method, the team can ensure that essential functionality is developed first, enabling a successful launch of the application with core functionality while leaving flexibility for later additions.

A win-win logic

Virtue is contagious, and if the company makes widespread use of these tools, it will be able to claim :

- clarify and optimise decision-making using more objective criteria ;

- aligning day-to-day activities with the company's strategic objectives, thereby optimising profitability;

- ensure that major problems are resolved as a matter of priority. This avoids costly delays, ensures that deadlines are met and guarantees customer satisfaction;

- Reduce the time spent tracking down and correcting errors and bugs, reduce waste, avoid delays and crisis situations and the stress that goes with them;

- launch new products (or deliver projects) on time and gain a competitive edge in the market by selling earlier;

- better satisfy its customers by focusing on their most important requests and needs, and thus build their loyalty.

Motivated employees make the company happy, and everyone's efficiency helps to improve customer satisfaction. So, beyond your personal comfort, everyone wins.

Each of these methods offers a specific approach to the complex challenge of optimising your most precious asset: your time. Each method has its advantages and can be adapted to different working styles and situations. Experiment with each one to find the one that works best for you. You'll finally take control of your schedule and focus your energy and efforts on the most important tasks. You'll free your mind from those secondary tasks which, in any case, would have ended up being eliminated for lack of time. Allocating your resources wisely will help you considerably in achieving your goals, optimising your personal and professional success over time... and freeing you from a great deal of stress!