How to Prioritize Tasks for Better Productivity

Most of us struggle to name our priorities. Did you know that many AI agency owners can't decide what to tackle first? This skill, known as prioritization, is crucial for better productivity and growth. Eisenhower Matrix It’s a tool that helps sort tasks by urgency and importance. It teaches us to focus on what truly matters, boosting our agency's output. Here are a few specific techniques you can use to improve your prioritization: 1. Urgent + Important: Do these tasks ASAP These tasks directly impact your bottom line and can't wait. Think of client deadlines, critical bug fixes, or securing that game-changing contract. Tackle these first. 2. Important, but not urgent: Schedule these tasks These tasks are crucial for your long-term success but don't have a pressing deadline. Think strategic planning, team training, or process optimization. Block out time for these in your calendar. 3. Urgent, but not important: Delegate these tasks These tasks need to get done quickly but don't require your personal attention. Think data entry, basic research, or routine admin work. Train your team to handle these or consider automating them. 4. Neither urgent nor important: Cut these tasks These are the true time-suckers. Think endless email scrolling, needless meetings, or low-value busy work. Eliminate these ruthlessly. Your time is your most precious resource. Implementing the Eisenhower Matrix revolutionized my agency's output. We cut our weekly meetings by 50%, automated 30% of our admin tasks, and saw a 25% jump in billable hours - all within a month. But don't just take my word for it. Grab a pen and try it yourself: List out all your current tasks Sort them into the four quadrants Take action: do, schedule, delegate, or delete Repeat weekly to keep your priorities razor-sharp The Eisenhower Matrix is a simple hack, but its impact can be profound. Give it a shot and watch your agency's productivity skyrocket. Remember: It's not about doing more things - it's about doing the right things. Prioritize ruthlessly and watch your agency soar.

Dear Professionals, Is productivity overrated? Oh, not at all. But you can’t wish it away. You need proven strategies to improve your productivity in the coming year! Before diving into that, let me share a little story. During my undergraduate days, I always multitasked. I combined a part-time home schooling initiative with my academics. In the evenings, I would go to various homes to teach secondary school students compulsory subjects (English, Maths, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology). In no time, more parents showed interest, and to maintain the quality of service, I had to involve other intelligent colleagues. We prepared many of these students for their final exams, and they achieved great success. I was also involved in student politics and had to lead delegations to the vice-chancellor and government for various causes that required advocacy and high-level interventions. Amidst all these activities, I raised funds and organized several health outreaches to underserved communities. I built leadership, organizational, research, and time management skills that helped me succeed as a student. These skills have not only helped me as a professional but have also opened doors and unlocked many opportunities too numerous to mention. But here’s the thing: you need to put systems in place because systems are drivers of productivity. Some systems have worked for me. Have a go at them: 1. Time Blocking: Allocate specific blocks of time for different tasks throughout your day. This helps maintain focus and prevents multitasking, which can reduce productivity. Use tools like Google Calendar to schedule these blocks and stick to them. For instance, dedicate mornings to deep work and afternoons to meetings and emails. 2. The 2-Minute Rule: If a task will take less than two minutes to complete, do it immediately. This prevents small tasks from piling up and cluttering your to-do list. This hack is particularly useful for quick emails, small administrative tasks, or filing documents. 3. Prioritize with the Eisenhower Matrix: Organize your tasks based on urgency and importance using the Eisenhower Matrix. - Quadrant 1: Urgent and Important (Do immediately) - Quadrant 2: Not Urgent but Important (Schedule for later) - Quadrant 3: Urgent but Not Important (Delegate if possible) - Quadrant 4: Neither Urgent nor Important (Eliminate if possible) By focusing on what truly matters and eliminating unnecessary tasks, you can significantly boost your productivity and efficiency. I see you winning in the coming year, 2025. What strategies do you employ to be productive? Feel free to share; iron sharpens iron. A lighted candle doesn’t lose anything by lighting another. Till we all win!

Time Management Insights for Improving Productivity ⏰💡 I have been mentoring several people around the topic of time management. These are some pointers to help you master your time, boost productivity, and achieve more with less stress. 📈 1. Self-Assessment: Track and Analyze Your Time 📊 Track Your Time: For the next two weeks , keep a detailed log of how you spend each hour. There are tools like Toggl or RescueTime to help simplify this process.  I will put link to their sites in the comments. John Jensen also has a spreadsheet he utilizes that is a great framework for sales people. Categorize Activities: Once your log is complete, sort activities into categories such as planning, deal management, prospecting, admin tasks, internal and external meetings, and personal time.  Do you also understand what your high-impact activities are? Evaluate: Reflect on your log. Are you dedicating enough time to high-impact activities? Are personal activities getting the time they deserve? 2. Identify Areas for Improvement 🔍 High-Value vs. Low-Value Tasks: Pinpoint tasks that drive your goals forward. Delegate or eliminate low-value tasks. High-value tasks are often those that only you can do. Time Wasters: Identify activities that consume time without adding value, such as redundant meetings or excessive email checks. 3. Set Clear Priorities 🎯 Define Your Key Responsibilities: Clarify your role and responsibilities. Focus on activities that align with these and have the most significant impact. Goal Setting: Set clear, measurable goals. This will sharpen your focus and help you prioritize and delegate tasks effectively. 4. Improve Delegation 🤝 Identify Delegation Opportunities: Based on your time log and priorities, find tasks that can be handed off, freeing you to focus on high-level strategy. 5. Continuous Improvement 📈 Regular Check-Ins: Schedule regular check-ins to review your progress, discuss challenges, and adjust strategies as needed. This keeps you accountable and allows for timely adjustments. Personal Insights from My Experience 🌟 When I first started tracking my time, I was amazed at how much of it was spent on low-value tasks. By categorizing and analyzing my activities, I identified key areas for improvement and began delegating tasks that were consuming my time without significant returns. Setting clear priorities and goals was a game-changer, allowing me to focus on high-impact activities and achieve better results. Implementing these steps transformed my productivity, and I'm confident it can do the same for you! 🚀 #TimeManagement #Productivity

How to Prioritize When Everything Feels Urgent 👇 Ever feel like everything on your to-do list is "urgent"? As Product Managers, this feeling can be overwhelming. But the truth is, not everything is equally important. Today, I’m sharing simple strategies and personal methods to master prioritization even when everything feels urgent. 1. The 80/20 Rule (Pareto Principle): Focus on High-Impact Tasks When everything feels urgent, it’s easy to confuse "busy" with "productive." How it works: The 80/20 Rule states that 80% of results come from 20% of the work. My Approach: Identify the 20% of tasks that will create 80% of the impact. Ask, "If I could only accomplish one task today, which one would have the biggest impact?" Ruthlessly cut or postpone "low-impact" tasks until essential work is done Example: Instead of responding to every email immediately, I’ll spend the first hour of my day working on the most critical task like preparing a roadmap presentation for stakeholders. 2. One Big Thing" Method: Reduce Cognitive Overload When everything feels urgent, decision fatigue sets in fast. How it works: Focus on just one "big thing" per day and make it your primary goal. My Approach: Every morning, I ask, "If I could only achieve one thing today, what would it be?" I write it down at the top of my planner and prioritize it over everything else. Once it’s done, I’ll move on to smaller tasks or "urgent" requests. Example: If I need to finalize a product strategy document, that becomes my "One Big Thing" for the day. Only after it's complete will I review smaller tasks like answering Slack messages or attending low-priority meetings. 3. The 2-Minute Rule: Avoid Task Accumulation Tiny, quick tasks have a sneaky way of building up until they feel "urgent." How it works: If a task takes less than 2 minutes, do it now instead of delaying. My Approach: I’ll address simple requests (like approving an expense) as soon as I see them. This prevents my task list from filling up with low-effort items that drain my mental bandwidth. Example: Instead of saving 5 tiny Slack requests to "do later," I’ll handle them at the moment if they take less than 2 minutes. Prioritization isn’t about doing everything. It’s about doing the right things.   Which of these 3 methods do you use most often? #productmanager #productmanagement

Starting a new PMM role can feel like you're juggling a million tasks all at once. 🤯 So, how do you prioritize what to tackle first? Here’s where the Action Priority Matrix comes in. This simple 2x2 matrix helps you categorize tasks based on Impact and Effort, allowing you to quickly identify "Quick Wins" and strategically plan larger projects. Here’s how you can make it work for you: 1️⃣ List all your tasks for the week (or another time period you prefer). 2️⃣ Rate the impact: For each task, ask yourself how impactful it is on a scale of 0-10. Remember, impact is about how crucial it is to the company’s and team’s key goals. 3️⃣ Evaluate the effort: Then, score the effort required to complete each task. 3️⃣ Plot your tasks on a 2x2 matrix and group them into 4 categories: -----> Quick Wins: Focus here to build early wins and gain confidence. -----> Major Projects: Plan these strategically. Break them into smaller milestones and turn them into quick wins, or seek additional resources. -----> Fill-Ins: Tackle these when you have downtime, or reduce the scope if possible. ----->Thankless Tasks: Avoid these. Delegate or eliminate them! The image shows some sample PMM activities grouped by category - bear in mind these are just examples :) Once you have your priorities mapped out, turn them into an easy to consume list and communicate them to your manager and get their feedback. This is a great way to show that you’re organized and disciplined. Don't be afraid to ask for support—or politely push back by explaining why some tasks may need to be prioritized. Over the years, this simple yet powerful framework has helped my clients achieve more results while avoiding burnout. What has worked for you? #ProductMarketing #newjob #coaching #growth #tech

Feeling overwhelmed by too many things to do? Here are 3 methods that help me prioritize and get back on track: 1. Use the 2x2 Matrix (Value vs. Effort) You place tasks into 4 categories: → High value, low effort (do these NOW) → High value, high effort (schedule these) → Low value, low effort (delegate if possible) → Low value, high effort (eliminate) This framework helps you focus on what truly matters while cutting out the noise. 2. Group Tasks Bulkification isn’t just for backend processes... Sometimes, it’s easier to manage tasks when they are clustered by a similar process or component. For example - → Have a bunch of meetings to schedule? Knock them all out at once. → Need to review multiple reports? Do it one after the other. Do it to build momentum and minimize switching costs (AKA "Multi-tasking") 3. Manager vs. Maker Time (Alex Hormozi’s Method) Manager - oversees projects, attending meetings, and making decisions. Maker - Does the actual work - tasks like writing, designing, or problem-solving. We all play both roles, but the mindset and productivity measures are opposites. Block out time for manager tasks and maker tasks. This separation brings clarity and ensures you’re not mixing two very different productivity modes at the same time. P.S. Which of these methods have you tried? --- ♻️ Feel free to share this with someone who needs a productivity boost!

We're all too busy at work…but we don't need to be. 7 ways to work smarter, not harder: 1/ Frontload your day: Put your most important tasks at the beginning of your day. You'll have more energy to tackle them early on before distractions pop up. Write down your top 3 tasks each day and do them. No excuses. 2/ Set shorter deadlines: Parkinson's Law says that work expands to fill the time available for its completion. If you're about to start a month-long project, ask yourself: "What does the 2-week version look like?" Shorter deadlines force you to focus on what matters. 3/ Track your time: Spend a week tracking your time. Record everything. At the end of 1 week, you'll likely find that you spend more time than you realize on specific activities. Adjust accordingly. 4/ Batch tasks together: Block out some time and blast through repetitive tasks such as: • Responding to emails • Checking slack • Pulling metrics You'll get into a groove and get through them faster. 5/ Do what gives you energy: At the end of your week, look back at the projects you worked on. Identify what tasks gave you energy and which tasks sucked. Figure out a way to delegate tasks that don't give you energy. Speaking of delegating... 6/ Delegate more: Delegating gives you more time to focus on the most important tasks. Try out the Eisenhower Matrix for decision-making: High urgency + High importance = DO NOW Low urgency + High importance = SCHEDULE High urgency + Low importance = DELEGATE Low urgency + Low importance = DELETE 7/ Take more breaks: This is counter-intuitive but works. If you go too long without a break, you will eventually get tired and make mistakes. Try the Pomodoro Technique: Focused work for 25 min. Then take a 5 min break. Repeat. --- These tips have worked for me. I hope they work for you too! Let me know if there are any good tips that I've missed 👇