How to Prioritize Your Tasks With 4 Easy Categories
To-do lists are universal. We’ve all had one. Most of us swear by them. But how many of us prioritize our to-do list? Contrary to what you might think, crossing items off your to-do list doesn’t make you productive. Crossing off the tasks that bring you one step closer to completing a goal is what makes you productive.
To-do lists are important. We know that. We can’t rely on our brains to store everything we need to get done. Not when there are ample apps and notebooks at our fingertips to keep track of them. When we prioritize our to-do list, we’re setting ourselves up for success. It’s best not to work off a never-ending list of tasks. Taking what needs to get done and breaking it down into daily lists helps avoid overwhelm and stress.
Even better is learning to prioritize those tasks. This way when you cross things off, you’re one step closer to your goal. So how do you prioritize a to-do list?
Here are four categories to get you started.
#1 - Main Focus
Also known as the “One Big Thing.” This is the task that no matter what, you have to get done today. Don’t make it something trivial. It shouldn’t be laundry, cleaning, or writing an email.
It should be something profound.
Your Main Focus item should be something that progresses a goal. Those examples are better suited for your “Sooner Rather than Later” list, which we’ll get to soon.
The Main Focus is the one big thing - the hot ticket item - you want to get done. Even if it’s the only thing you accomplish that day. Seeing it done means you’re closer to a completed goal or project.
What does that mean?
Let’s say you’re rebranding your company or personal website. That alone is a pretty daunting task since there’s a lot of bells and whistles. You’ll most likely need to break it down into smaller, attainable goals.
But let’s say you want to have it finished by a certain date. Giving a goal or task a deadline is one of the best ways to ensure you work on it.
You decide to relaunch your website in a month. Your Main Focus each day should be something related to your website.
For example, until the completion of the project, your Main Focus could be:
Write the About Me page.
Email clients for reviews/testimonials.
Take new pictures.
Update the Contact page.
If rebranding your website is the most important thing you want to focus on, you need to work on it a little bit each day. This will progress you towards completion. That’s what the Main Focus task is all about.
#2 - Today List
Below the Main Focus is what I call the “Today” list. This includes three to five tasks that should get my attention after the Main Focus.
The tasks listed here may have due dates that are nearing. You have a work project due next week. An outline for a school assignment is due on Friday. It’s been two weeks since you did the laundry and you’re running out of clean underwear.
The Today list includes items that aren’t as critical as the Main Focus. But they should be completed in a week or two. You don’t want tasks to linger long on the Main Focus and Today list. These are the things you want out of the way.
Some examples of tasks for the Today list can include:
Laundry = wash white.
Schedule conference call for next Tuesday.
Draft proposal and submit for feedback.
Put in for vacation time.
The Today tasks should, but don’t always need to be, items that move projects forward. They may not be as important as the Main Focus, but their deadlines are coming and you need to set things in motion.
#3 - Sooner Rather than Later
Or the “Everything Else” list. Sometimes I might call this the “if I have time” list.
These tasks, while important, don’t need to be completed ASAP. They have no due date but they’ve been sitting on your list for a while and you’d like to see them get done.
If you don’t complete everything on this list, that’s okay. These items are more reminders to you than deadlines. If you truly want them done on a certain date, give it a deadline and move it to your Today list.
I said it before and I’ll say it again, deadlines are crucial. Giving yourself artificial deadlines trains your brain on what’s important. When there’s a timestamp we’re known to give tasks more attention and focus.
Some examples on this list could include:
Write a grocery list.
Clean out inbox.
Plant flowers.
Schedule dinner with Joe.
Like your Today list, if you don’t get everything completed, that’s fine. The important thing is to have the item on your radar. This way when you write tomorrow’s list, you may consider moving one or two up to the Today list.
If you come across a task that day after day you’re not doing, reconsider its importance. Maybe you need to move it to the final category.
#4 - Running To-Do List
I keep this list in the back of my planner. It’s a running list of tasks that have come to mind at random times. I’m a big believer in writing things down the minute we think about them. This list is the ideal but temporary home for them.
These items are far from critical. They’re things you may not need to worry about until a certain time of the year. They could also be the beginning of something bigger you’re planning.
Some tasks you can include here are:
Buy a new patio umbrella.
Research rentals in California.
Research new car options (lease or buy).
Create a meal plan.
Clean out the closet.
I like to look at this list at the beginning of each month. Is there anything on there I want to do this month? If so, I move it to my Sooner Rather than Later list. If I give something a deadline I’ll put it on my Today or Main Focus list.
We don’t just want to cross things off our to-do list. Yes, it feels awesome to do that, but the primary focus of a to-do list is to help you gain traction and progression towards your goals. And remember, some items that start on your “Running To-Do List” may end up as your Main Focus one day.
You can signify each category with a symbol. I use an asterisk for my Main Focus, boxes for my Today list, and dots for my Sooner Rather than Later and Running To-Do lists.
So the next time you start writing your to-do list, consider these four categories. Try breaking your list out and see what happens.
And please, don’t beat yourself up if you don’t get everything done on your to-do list.
Are there categories you swear by when writing your to-do list? Do you have ways you prioritize your goals? Hit the comments below and let me know.
