All work is not created equal. There's a lot that you could do each day, but making the right choice about where to spend your time will determine how worthwhile your efforts truly are.
As you consider the tasks and goals you want to accomplish this week and this year, review your worksheet from last week with these categories (below) in mind. Some tasks are going to naturally fit, and some are not going to.
That's the point.
There's a lot to do, but not all of it will get done. This is where you make a proactive choice about that, rather than letting the clock run out and make the choice for you.
There may be overlap between some categories (for example, crossing the finish line on a major project could also be low-hanging fruit or part of a big win) and that's okay. The point here isn't to be perfectly organized; it's to create a more clearly defined task list to drive your focus.
Biggest wins
Ever heard of the 80/20 rule? It states that 80% of outcomes come from 20% of efforts - meaning that there are only a couple of things on your plate that have the potential to be completely game-changing. The rest just don't matter as much.
Identify those key tasks first, because they are the ones with the most meaningful impact. What matters most to you? What will move you farthest forward or deliver the biggest results for you or your team?
Finish lines
There's no two ways about it, finishing something is major. A completed project is worth more than a "really close but I'm just waiting to make it perfect" project.
When you're deciding what to work on, it could be more valuable to you to finish something as opposed to simply making progress on something else. It gives you something concrete to point to and removes something completely from your plate.
Easy wins and low-hanging fruit
Can you do it in an hour or less? Can you do it while watching TV or lying in bed with your laptop? Think: making important-but-annoying phone calls, submitting necessary paperwork or forms, setting up financial accounts, etc.
Set a timer and see how many of these quick admin tasks you can get done in one block of time. Many of life's important tasks are easy to do - but also easy not to do. If you can finally push these kinds of tasks off your back burner, do it!
Star student moments
Sometimes it pays to deliver exactly what your boss is looking for. When you understand the goal and deliver exactly what they were expecting, that's a huge win.
If you have the chance to complete or make progress on something that will be highly visible to your boss or leadership (or if you're a freelancer, your biggest client), then that's well worth prioritizing.
More on this one next week. :)
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When you have a lot to do - or a few things to do that are really important - focus and prioritization are critical. When focus is hard to come by, refer back to your new, strategically organized worksheet from this week and get to work on the stuff that matters the very most.
You can do this. | 
