Time management
To manage time effectively, we need to prioritise our activities based on how important or urgent they are and we need to be prepared to say no to activities that distract us from our priorities, including saying no to our own tendency to get involved too much in too many things.
Stephen Covey in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People suggested we utilise the following simple grid to inform ourselves as we prioritise our activities. Important and urgent tasks should be done now, while important and not urgent tasks should be scheduled for later. Not important and urgent tasks should be rejected, while not important and not urgent tasks should be resisted and ceased.
IMPORTANT NOT URGENT
Strategy: RESERVE 'A' TIME
These tasks are critical to your success so reserve blocks of time (A time) in your diary in advance.
Choose blocks during the time of day when you are at your best.
When that A time arrives, turn off your phone and your notifications and focus!
IMPORTANT AND URGENT
Strategy: DO IT NOW
Check that these really are important as urgent stuff can look important.
If they genuinely are important do them immediately in order by their relative importance. Don't procrastinate by adding to a do list.
NOT IMPORTANT NOT URGENT
Strategy: RESIST AND DESIST
Check that these are not simply comfortable distractions.
Minimise them or cease them altogether.
That's unless they really have a value in building your platform for future success.
In which case they are actually important and should be in another box. But take care not to be too easy on yourself in making that decision!
URGENT BUT NOT IMPORTANT
Strategy: REJECT AND EXPLAIN
Is the task really important to you, your role and your responsibilities?
Make sure you’re not just being passed the monkey of something that actually someone else should be doing.
Avoid these tasks by quickly and sensitively saying No!
Saying No is the most important skill in time management!