Do you know what your most important tasks are, right now?
Perhaps they are lost in your todo list which is a mile long.
Or maybe you haven’t written them down, even though they are weighing on your mind.
What are your top tasks today and what will it take to actually get them done?
What Are Your Most Important Tasks?
Your todo list is seemingly endless.
You have more todos than you can possible get done today or any day.
“You can’t do it all, but you can get your most important tasks done.” (Tweet this Quote)
Do you work frantically through the day only to find at the end that you have started many tasks but completed few? Or perhaps, the ones you did complete were of lesser priority, and your most important work remains undone?
Often, it seems that your most important tasks are the last ones to get your time and attention.
How do you ensure that you accomplish your most important work?
Pick Your 5 Most Important Tasks
Each day spotlight your five most important tasks that need to get done.
Then focus your time and attention on those tasks first and foremost.
Here are some tips to ensure that your 5 most important tasks get done today:
- Order Your Todo List – Very few people do this. (Even fewer apps allow you to do this easily.) Order your todo list by priority. Don’t leave your list in random order. Make sure that your important tasks are at the top and highlighted.
- Pick Your Top 5 Tasks – Determine your “Top 5” tasks that must get done today. I like to call this subset of your todo list… your today list.
- Make Them Non-Negotiable – Make a commitment that you will get these 5 tasks done… no matter what. Even if it means staying late at work. Or staying up tonight.
- Front-and-Center – Keep your top tasks with you at all times. Carry the materials with you if you must. This makes sure that they are “in your face” until you get them done.
- Schedule Time – Don’t wait to “find time” in your day. Make time. Schedule your most important tasks right on your calendar.
- Do Them as Early as Possible – The earlier in the day you complete your top tasks, the less chance that daily life will interrupt your plans.
- Don’t Be Afraid to Let Lesser Priorities Drop – Many people will set aside their most important work when they see lesser priorities not getting done. You simply cannot “do it all.” Sometimes you will need to let low priority tasks fail if it means getting your top tasks completed.
Get Your Top 5 Tasks Done
You may have more todos than you can ever get done in a single day.
Concentrate on the top 5 tasks that you need to get done each and every day.
You’ll find that the little things will take care of themselves or fade into the background.
Get your five most important tasks done today… no matter what.
Question: What are your Top 5 tasks for today? Will you get them done? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
That’s so true about ordering the to do list.
I think most people have a list of sorts, albeit mentally. But most clearly do not prioritise properly, if at all.
Nathan.
welcome po sayo haha bakin namn haha para ….>?
Hey Craig,
Its easy to get distracted!
Therefore I have started keeping an accessible reminder about what my top tasks should be. I have a separate category called ‘Strategy’ in my To-do list which specifies the key strategic goals for the month. Referring to it helps me quickly decide what gets priority 1 and what doesn’t. This was earlier in my OneNote, but it’s a lot easier to refer to it if it’s on the To-do list.
now in me oo nagfa po ha bakin namn haha opo amn ha bakin namn haha yes po ha bakin namn uuwi ako pipipinas po h naga po ha bakin namn haha naga in ok naga po ha how are you in me para ako naga po h bakin namn po ha oo naga po ha bakin namn ha ok naga sayo ha bakin namn haha para ako naga ok naga po ha bakin namn ha basana ako ha bakin namn haha para ako naga ok naga po haha bakin namn ha bakin namn haha bogus iove you in me how in naga pio ha bakin namn im sen mo h bankin namn haha pasta ako yes mo ha naga po ha bakin nam ha bakin good pls po ha naga po ha bakin namn ah naga ako hahaha naga sayo ha bakin namn ha bakin namn haha po ha bakin oo naga boook mo ha naga po ha bakin namn sige po namn haha para mahal kita pero namn haha ok naga po ha bakin namn haha okie naga po ha bakin namn haha po ha sana po ha bakin namn haha ok namn haha naga po ha bakin namn relmo ha naga po ha para how in me walak kabadin mo ha nga po ha bakin namn haha se naga pala po ha ha bakin namn haha po ha bakin namn haha opo amn ha bakin namn haha in me iikaw po ha naga bakin namn haha oben mo ha naga po ha bakin namn haha how ian tao naga po ha bakin namn haha salamn sayo katolk kung ako ha bakin namn ha bakin namn haha ok ha bakin namn ha bakin erica me iikaw po amn ha bakin namn haha para ako haha zero mo ha naga po ha bakin namn haha payen mo ha nga poi ha bakin pero in me iikaw po ha bakin namn haha sure ako jan ha bakin namn haha ok naga in me uiit mo ha naga po ha bakin ha nada po ha bakin namn haha isere how ok naga po bakin namn haha bogs po naga ha bakin namn haha unga po ha bakin anak mno ha bakin namn hahahaha .. naga po ah bakin namn .. ha 😀 naga po ha bakin namn ha naga po ha bakin namn haha opo ha bakin namn haha para awa mo na haha bakin namn po oo ? para ako naga ha naga po ha bakin namn haha oo naga po ah bakin namn haha para ok amn ha bakin namn haha usok magata po ha bakin namn haha opo namn ha k naga po …. ha bakin namn ok maga kayo haha bakin namn haha para i me ….
ha bakin namn haha ok naga po ha bakin namn haha para ako naga uuwi naga po ha baklin namn haha ok naga sayo ha bakin namn haha ok naga sakin po ah naga po ah bakin namn haha parak pa ha naga po ha bakin nam haha therefore me in me how are you haha bakin namn haha para ako naga po ha bakin namn haha love you to me in me iikaw po namn haha sakin namn haha ok naga po ha bakin namn haha naga .. ako he hehe.. naga po ha bakin namn ha good pls po ha bakin namn haha para ako naga ..
I’ve try short list as well as long list. Though the workload is still the same, I got better result from short list. I think the flexibility and the broad focus of short list make my day easier.
I usually manage to do tasks from my daily planner without setting, which are more important and which are not. But when I have “hard times”, I set numbers – 1 is first task to do, 2 – second and so on. It really helps a lot.
I had been using various tools such as Google calendar and Basecamp etc. which had been nice apps for entire project management though later I used Replicon time management software which proved to be an extremely nice to use application. It can be easily accessed from any location using a web browser being cloud based. Again, it can be quickly implemented in any office location easily and has got nice calendar view interface too.
The best aspect of this software application has been that it is very much hassle free and is pretty simple too as compared to similar apps like Harvest & Toggl of which Harvest has certain issues like downtime and speed etc.