Did you know, according to experts most of the times 42% of the items in a to-do list are never finished as per their schedule? Almost 91% of professionals fail to complete their daily tasks that have been already planned for the day. Most of the times, when it comes to our daily to-do lists we either over-plan or overburden the list. Not all are good with task management.
When you have a lot of tasks in hand, it can easily get overwhelming. The thought itself can make you feel tired, drained and lethargic. However, your personal responsibilities and your work obligations are important, even though it can stress you out. In the process of juggling both, you might keep missing out of something important or forget doing some work. The only solution is to handle task management skillfully.
Task management is important as it helps you stay productive and organized. With planning and self-discipline things can be kept under control. With proper task management, it will also help you to:
- Set your work priorities
- Delegate work effectively
- Ensure tasks are completed on time
Therefore, if you want to ensure that your tasks are finished on time and you are organized, here are few tips to help you sail through the coming year:
1. Download a task management app
People no longer use sticky notes for their daily to-dos. Gone are those days. The entire world is going digital and that is what you should do too. There are hundreds of to-do list apps available. Choose the one that suits your requirements best. Listed below are few of the mostly downloaded ones by users:
- Todoist
- Any.do
- eisedo
- TickTick
- Google Keep
Choose a task management app that lets you prioritize your tasks as per the timelines set by you. There are many available online. One of the most user-friendly and agile tools available today is eisedo. This app will help you become more organized, punctual and productive. Task management will no longer be an issue. With eisedo you can handle your tasks effectively and become far more efficient, organized and productive.
2. List tasks that you know you can finish
Over-planning will not get you anywhere. If you list down 50 tasks in your daily to-do list, you will surely fail to do even half of it. So please be realistic. Take 10 tasks at a time that needs your most attention for the day and list them down. Choose a mixed bag of easy and tough ones. Remember, the sole purpose is not to overwhelm you. It should relax you down.
3. Delegate some tasks
You cannot do everything yourself. There might be few things that can be done by someone else. May be you might assist but let the other person handle it. For example, if the backyard lawn needs mowing, and you know your partner can do it equally well, it is better let him or her handle it for the day. You can do other tasks that need your attention. Similarly, in the professional front, if a task in a particular projects needs some involvement from a colleague, then it is better you rope him in and get it done together.
4. Make multiple projects
Segregate your tasks. Make a slot for:
- Daily tasks
- Weekly tasks
- Monthly tasks
- High-impact tasks
The moment you categorize each task under different sections, it will be much easier for you to accomplish the goals.
5. Use Eisenhower Matrix
Dwight David Eisenhower’s principles were used to create the Eisenhower Matrix that is till date used for effective task management. According to him, more time is wasted in deciding what to do rather than actually doing it.
You can make a list of work and assign the mentioned tags to each task. This is different from any to-do list. It is a matrix which helps you decide what to do now, in the present or in the next moment of time. Each box is known as the Eisenhower box.
What you feel is very important and needs your urgent concern, should be kept in the top left corner. You have to do it at your first priority. Then if the work is important and you think it is not urgent then you can keep it in the blue box. You must choose an action for these two boxes. The tasks that are kept in first quadrant, must be done immediately.
Moreover, if the task is not important but should be done urgently, then choose a person who can do it for you, as this is not urgent and might drive down your energy that is needed to be concentrated for the urgent tasks in the green box. However, if there are tasks which are not urgent and are not important either then you can delete them so that you can save your energy and time for rest.
eisedo task management app has been developed inspired from Eisenhower Matrix. It is based on its four quadrants. It also sends you timely notifications so that you stay updated. eisedo comes in both free and premium versions and are available as a web login as well.