How to manage a task checklist in 2022?

Task management of the ever-extending checklist of professional obligations has to be somehow reconciled with family life, rest, and time for friends. The best solution to complete all tasks is to have a good plan. With efficiency-improving methods we are able to meet requirements and avoid plan failure.

The first rule of a checklist: set your priorities

When faced with an undoable list of duties, one of the first actions you should take is a calm and objective evaluation of activity priority. Which tasks are crucial and simply have to be done, and which ones can wait? What will take the most time, and what can be handled in 10 minutes? Thoroughly prepared checklists and planning of work will allow you to not only save a lot of time but also to work smarter, not harder.

Reduce the task list by half

Setting priorities is indispensable, but it is not always enough. In the plethora of work, less important matters continue to be postponed "for tomorrow" and, as a result, we usually fail to complete them at all. Is there a way to deal with this? One of the strategies is to focus only on the things that are the most important to us at a given time from the point of view of personal and professional goals, letting go of those activities that do not bring us any closer to accomplishing them. Setting the areas of highest importance will make it easier to resign from certain projects.

Say goodbye to perfectionism

Nothing is surprising in the fact that we want our tasks to be completed in the best way possible. Continuous pursuit of perfection makes any activity longer and more labor-consuming. This, in turn, means that we run out of time for other things. Therefore, before we spend another half an hour tuning up some minor details in our report, let's think if this is necessary. After all, not everything has to be done 100 percent. Usually, it is enough to do something well enough.

Delegate some of your tasks to others

It is also worth considering whether we need to cover all the checklist items ourselves. We often tend to assume duties that could be easily delegated to somebody else. Entrepreneurs and project managers using ICP have an easier task. All they have to do is use the task assignment option and distribute the tasks among the members of their team. On the other hand, an employee can find this solution helpful in finding out if he or she does not do the work... for others.

Learn to say "no"

If we take too much on ourselves, even the best organizational strategy will be of no help. And this is where we arrive at the next key element that will help us not to get overwhelmed with work-refusing. If acceptance of another order will result in your defeat in the battle with the tasks, do not hesitate to say "no" in a well-thought, polite, and diplomatic manner. even if it regards your client or boss.

Excessive responsibilities are nothing nice. Good organization is crucial to facing your duties, but it is not always enough. To find the balance, sometimes it is simply necessary to resign from something, allow somebody else to complete a part of our tasks, or just start saying "no". One thing is certain we cannot do much without a moment of rest. This is why the rest should be a fixed item in our checklist.