DESPITE the facilities and technologies that the world has to offer these days, the ability to prioritise our workload remains one of the biggest struggles for many of us.
This is especially relatable to young working adults because depending on your company and working environment, you are constantly expected to multi-task and update yourselves with the latest skills.
As you work in an environment where conflicting and unclear priorities are the norm, you can practise the following tips to be able to prioritise your work better and get more satisfaction from your job.
List down your workload and rank them
If you have heaps of tasks that need to be done, list down everything you could possibly consider achieving during the day itself, or within the week.
Try not to worry about the order or the number of items on your checklist. Then, rank them from the most important to the least by rewriting your list on another page.
One of the prioritising techniques that you can use to manage your workload is the Eisenhower Matrix – a time management tool that is used to decide and prioritise tasks based on their urgency and importance.
Avoid unnecessary tasks and multi-tasking
After writing down your checklist, analyse which tasks are important or urgent to accomplish.
By putting some on hold for the following day or next week, for example, you can focus on completing the more important ones and allocate more time for other urgent tasks.
Apart from that, keep multi-tasking to a minimum. However, if you do need to multi-task, be firm in dealing with your tasks one at a time. Doing so can keep your mind clear and ready for the next task.
Set realistic deadlines
Typically, each task has a deadline. So when you are completing a certain task, set your own deadline before the actual deadline that is determined by your employer.
This way you will not have to suffer the consequences of creating poor-quality work, or force yourself to finish something at the last minute.
However, do note that you need to set realistic deadlines and take everything one step at a time, instead of rushing yourself into completing your tasks.
Make your checklist visible
If you are the forgetful type, you can write down your list as reminders on post-it notes, or schedule reminders on your phone.
For instance, note the date and time you need to finish the task or the date and name of the person you are supposed to have a meeting with.
This is a weekly column by SarawakYES! – an initiative driven by Faradale Media-M Sdn Bhd and supported by Angkatan Zaman Mansang (Azam) Sarawak – to provide advice and stories on the topics of education and careers to support Sarawakians seeking to achieve their dreams. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.