You’re faced with a lot of decisions in everyday work. There are multiple tasks calling for your focus, and you are burning daylight or even burn out trying to decide what comes first. 1[■]
If you’re going to think smarter about how you prioritize(排序) tasks, you have to invest a little time away from your to-do list. Here’s the thing: what you work on confirms your values. You may think it’s no big thing to work overtime for a little while, but something will be sacrificed with this decision. If you’re a parent, you might spend less time with your kids. Similarly, if you choose not to work much or effectively, you’re deciding that your values lie outside your career. 2[■]
Write all the tasks down and create four boxes containing all of things you care about. This could be: helps the community, helps one-to-one relationships, makes money, and things you find personally fulfilling. Then place them in the boxes and see how many of the boxes each one takes up. Anything that fills just one box has to be reconsidered. Anything that fills nothing should not be considered at all. 3[■] From here, the rest of the prioritization gets a little easier. You now have a better idea where the efforts are really paying off. You also know when you are wasting your own time.
In order to figure out a plan for yourself. the first thing you should be doing is gathering all of your tasks, large and small. 4[■] Other people are counting on you or your future self will depend on them somehow. These are actually easier to prioritize. Then break down large tasks into smaller pieces. That helps put things in order. Part of the reason we do the small things first is that being productive feels good. Acknowledging accomplishments makes you more likely to keep going and pushes you through the more complicated tasks.
5[■] Notice when your energy levels are high and when they are weak. Be aware when you re more productive for social activities and when you’re better off. The more you study yourself, the easier planning becomes.
Now that you have your priorities in order go ahead and you will boost your productivity.