Recently, I have been thinking more about the best way to prioritize tasks. Part of that thinking has been prompted by people asking me how best to do that. However, the other part of that thinking is self-driven. I want to do better myself.
For the most part, I have a good handle on how best to spend my time. I have a clear picture of what has to be done and the order in which it should be done. Yet, there are also times when I stare blankly at my to-do list and wonder where to begin.
The notion of task prioritization is not new in the productivity world. So, if you are looking for inspiration, here are some of the most popular ways to ensure the right things are done on time.
The story behind the Two List System is based on a conversation that Warren Buffet is reported to have had with his pilot. One day, the pilot asked Buffet for advice on prioritizing his life goals.
Buffet told him to list 25 things he would like to achieve. Once the list was complete, he was instructed to circle the five most important things. The pilot thought he understood.
He had an A-list and a B-list. The A-list had the most important things to work on, and the B-list had things to work on in the background. However, Buffet was quick to rebuke him. He told him not to do anything on the B-list until everything on the A-list had been completed.
Leo Babauta offers similar advice in his book Zen Habits. He suggests concentrating on your most important thing (MIT).
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It’s very simple: your MIT is the task you most want or need to get done today. In my case, I’ve tweaked it a bit so that I have three MITs — the three things I must accomplish today. Do I get a lot more done than three things? Of course. But the idea is that no matter what else I do today, these are the things I want to be sure of doing. (Source)
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A related idea is the Pareto Principle. Often referred to as the 80/20 rule, it outlines the relationship between effort and results. It states that 20% of the input produces 80% of the output. Let’s take a look at some examples.