Multitask and Prioritize
Unless you’re managing just one or two
people, it’s inevitable that you will be involved with many issues and tasks
all at once. Some need immediate
attention, while others are less important.
Multitasking is about knowing how to juggle several issues or tasks at
once. Prioritizing is about knowing
which of the issues or tasks are the most important and need to get done first. You need to be able to combine multitasking
and prioritizing expertly. This is a
bit of an art, but it can be learned.
Even though the pressure might be on, you
always need to keep a cool head. The
saying, “Never let them see you sweat,” is perfect when it comes to
multitasking. Exude a sense of calm and
control. This is a show of strong
leadership.
Here are six ways to help you with everyday
multitasking:
- Delegating, as previously described, comes into play the
most when multitasking and prioritizing.
Without delegation, proper multitasking would be almost
impossible. Make sure tasked
priorities are shared with your team.
They will want to see the project succeed as long as they know the
goal.
- Chart it out on the whiteboard and make a list of the tasks and its
importance. Separate the tasks
into three groups:
- Group 1 needs to be done immediately or at least by the end of the
day.
- Group 2 would need to be completed in the next couple of days.
- Group 3 would need to be completed in the next week or month. Just make sure you never lose sight or
put the tasks from group 3 on the back burner for too long.
The point here is to not only make a list of
tasks, but to schedule based on importance rather than just having a “to do”
list.
- Focus on the critical items.
Postpone current tasks if needed, and put full attention on the
critical task. Sometimes you need
to make the right decisions like canceling a meeting in order to get the
task completed in time. A good
leader can adapt to changes and break routine in order to address the
issues at hand.
- Work smarter, not harder. This cliché works well when it comes to
multitasking. This basically means
reducing or eliminating redundancy by improving workflow. This thought should be used for all
aspects of your department including processes and procedures. Utilize tools that are in place to
reduce the time spent on each task, thus reducing the amount of open tasks
on your plate. Use automation
whenever you can to reduce time and redundancy. It is worth the investment to develop automated tools,
especially if most of the tasks are regular and in common. This can include how you set up your
e-mail such as utilizing task manager in Outlook.
- Set a
part of the day to focus on the “non-informational” tasks.
This would mean turning off instant messaging, close your e-mail,
and only answer calls when absolutely necessary. Part of multi-tasking is knowing what tasks you do not need
to do such as real time response to all e-mails, always on your IM, etc.
- Make multitasking a game, and try to keep your mind as clear as
possible with the tasks at hand.
Instead of letting it get to you, try and make it fun and
challenging. The quicker you
accept you have to “do more with less,” the easier it gets to get on with
the task at hand.
Try and stay motivated and not lose sight of
the big picture. Know when to pay close
attention to detail, and when to take short cuts.
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