If you’re so busy doing the work that you’re struggling to find time to lead the others in your agency, you might be looking for ways to prioritise better.
When you’ve got lots on your plate, how do you choose the right things to do first?
Here are three approaches to considering when prioritising.
Only do tasks that are Urgent (required now) and Important (require you). This is the Eisenhower Matrix.
- If it’s urgent and important do it now until it’s done
- If it’s just urgent, delegate it to somebody you trust
- If it’s just important, defer it to later or delegate it to somebody you trust
- If neither urgent or important remove it from your list – it will come back if it becomes important
Only do tasks that are high impact and people are waiting on you for. This is the Delivery Matrix.
- If it’s high impact and people are waiting on it, do it now until done
- If it’s high impact but nobody is waiting defer it
- If it’s low impact and people are waiting on it, try and delegate it
- If it’s low impact and nobody is waiting, delete it
Only do things that have a high impact for other’s work. Focus on unblocking. I call this the Flow Matrix.
- Urgent and high impact on others – do it now until done
- Urgent and low impact on others – do it now for a fixed period
- Not urgent and high impact on others – defer it
- Not urgent and low impact on others – delegate it or delete it from your list