Tips to Help Prioritize Business Tasks

When running a business, sometimes it seems like there are so many things to do that we don't know where to start. Setting priorities is essential. But sometimes that's easier said than done.

Prioritizing tasks may seem like a daunting task all by itself. It does take some thought, but if you come up with a system and stick to it, you can prioritize business tasks much more quickly and effectively. Here are some pointers.

• Many people find that prioritizing is much easier when they start each day with a written "To Do" list. You can also use a computer program if it works for you. The key is to have a list in writing where you can analyze and adjust it as needed.
• See if there are any tasks that can be delegated to someone else. If you don't have employees, outsourcing could be an option if needed.
• Large tasks can often be handled more effectively when broken up into smaller tasks. Once you've done that, you may find that there are portions of the larger tasks that can be outsourced. And if doing an entire project in one sitting will monopolize your time for the day, breaking it up into smaller tasks may allow you to postpone the less urgent parts until another day.
• Once you've determined which tasks need to be handled by you, it's time to prioritize them. Tasks that already have deadlines are a good place to start. In most cases, it pays to get them out of the way first.
• For tasks that don't have deadlines, think about how they affect the big picture. If they're not terribly important, they can be moved to the bottom of your list. You may even be able to drop some of them altogether.
• Some tasks could be handled in a few different ways. For these, it pays to consider which way is the most efficient or least expensive. Some face-to-face meetings could be replaced with phone calls, for example, and an email might be an acceptable substitute for a long-distance fax.
• If your list is too long to handle in one day, look it over one more time to see if there is anything you can delegate or outsource. If not, you may have to postpone some of the less important items. That's the beauty of prioritizing. It helps you get the most important things done first, and anything that's left over can usually wait anyway.

When it comes to time management, prioritizing our tasks should be a top priority. Making a list of the things we need to do in the order that they need to be done can help us use our time much more wisely. And that will lead to greater productivity.