Priorities management can be difficult in the heat of work, but it's necessary for you

How to Prioritize Tasks: A Definitive Guide

At CityCentral, we understand how important it is to maintain a flawless workflow in a team, and one of the most important aspects is setting the priorities of work. Here is the how-to from our team!

Whether you run a startup in a coworking space, or work in a many-stored office, knowing how to prioritize work has an impact on the success of your business, your team's involvement, and your leadership position.  Especially when every task appears to be the most important one and demands your attention. Change orders, re-prioritization, and the regular occurrence of unexpected surprises are all part of technical projects, no matter how well-planned they are. 

It's important to know best ways to prioritize tasks, otherwise you risk to lose progress at all

The process of identifying the significance and urgency of an activity, item, or event is known as prioritization. Priorities management is a necessary talent for any working professional. The most difficult part of building prioritization strategies is determining which tasks are most important. 

So, how to determine priority?

Make a List

Compile a list of all you'd like to get done in a single day with no concern about the order. This will assist you in determining how and when to best devote your time - and it’s the very first step of prioritizing work tasks.

Urgent vs Important

The next step is to determine whether there are any jobs that need to be completed immediately, something like making a prioritized task list. These are projects that if not finished by the end of the day or within the following few hours, may result in consequences.

Make time early in the day to prioritize your most important duties. If you postpone these tasks, you risk becoming overworked as the day progresses. When you're facing a tight deadline or a high-pressure task, organizing priorities based on urgency might help relieve some of the tension.

Evaluate the Importance of Your Responsibilities

Examine your most significant tasks and determine what is most valuable to your company or group. Generally, you should be able to identify which jobs are vital and should take precedence over others.

Prioritize Based on Projected Effort

If you have assignments that appear to be tied for priority, review their value, and begin with the one that you believe will take the longest to complete. Starting the longer work first, according to productivity gurus, is a good strategy, and is often told to be one of the best ways to prioritize tasks. 

However, if you believe you won't be able to focus on your more important work until you do the shorter task, trust your instincts and do so. Checking a little job off the list before plunging into deeper seas may be motivational. 

Sometimes prioritization strategies include digital applications to work with

Go with the Flow

Change and uncertainty is inevitable. Recognize that your priorities will shift throughout time, and frequently when you least expect it.  

You must maintain concentration on the things you have committed to accomplishing. While working on such activities, attempt to anticipate other project requirements that will follow your priority so you may be better prepared for the future.

Know when to Stop

Keep your expectations in check. You're unlikely to be able to complete everything on your to-do list, and this is not because your prioritization strategies were poor. Cut the remaining chores from your list after prioritizing your tasks and reviewing your estimates. Focus on the priorities that you know you must and can do for the day. Focus on the important tasks that will provide you emotions of achievement for the day as you pare down your priority list.

It's difficult to stay on top of everything on your to-do list when everything seems to be at the top of your priority list. However, keep in mind that not everything on your to-do list is or should be a priority. It is crucial to know how to distinguish between critical and low priorities.

TIP: Each CityCentral location is staffed with a Community Concierge who can help with the smaller tasks that are getting in the way of your larger priorities. Email info@citycentral.com or call 215.292.7951 to learn more.

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