This content has been developed in association with the Institute of Organisational Psychology.
Prioritising your to-do list
Change your environment
What about moving to a different place to do your work, like going to a café, the library or a different room? A different environment can be valuable for thinking differently as the cues around you are different.
Cut your to-do list in half
Be ruthless. Prioritisation is about manageable chunks.
If your list is too long, you’re unlikely to get everything done, or done well. If you must do a task in the bottom half of the list, swap it with one in the top half.
Give yourself permission to temporarily forget about anything you can’t do today. Focus on what you can control or influence.
Ask yourself quick questions on your way to work
Test your assumptions. Can you shorten or simplify your marketing post? If using a certain raw material takes a long time, can you find another one?
Try something different and see what happens
Test your assumptions. Can you shorten or simplify your marketing post? If using a certain raw material takes a long time, can you find another one?
Delay, delegate or outsource
Delaying may not be ideal, but it might be more realistic and manageable.
Delegating is another option. If you have no one to delegate to, delay the task or outsource it.
Outsourcing is a way of delegating. If you can’t afford to pay someone, can you get a family member to help, even if it’s just with a few small tasks?
Contact someone
Talk to them about how you are, share your workspace or bounce ideas off them.
Talking may not immediately get tasks done, but just talking can put you in a different frame of mind, and help you find solutions and make decisions. It can help clarify what you’re thinking.
Take meaningful and regular breaks
Breaks are your way of investing in your business and yourself, so that you’re not so stressed that you make mistakes or can’t think.
Taking breaks is good, but you need to finish your break feeling good, relaxed and ready. The secret is doing what you enjoy and gives you energy, for example getting a takeaway coffee and going for a walk instead of sitting in your office and reading the news. Reading the news may be fine for some people but may not be useful for others.
Regular breaks and days off are more important than two weeks in Bali once a year. Take breaks every day. Even small moments help. And sometimes, if you can, take an afternoon off to go for a walk, work from a different location for a bit, or catch up with a friend or colleague. Positively connecting with others and our environment brings real health benefits.