Three steps to successful prioritization

Many people face the dilemma of determining what is important versus what is urgent. Here are three tips.

1. Gather all information in one place

Choose a location (Notes, Trello, or another tool) where you write down all tasks. Any task that requires more than 5 minutes should be on this list. In agile, this is a portfolio backlog.

2. Set criteria

Define the key goals you want to achieve, then establish criteria for prioritization. Tools that help:

• Effort-impact matrix - importance vs required effort.
• MoSCoW - Must, Should, Could, Won't.
• Kano model - focuses on customer satisfaction.
• Urgency-importance matrix - separates important from urgent.

3. Create a "NOT TO-DO" list

When you discover tasks that will not bring value - delete them. Free yourself from unnecessary activities. Prioritization is a skill that develops over time and practice.