Updated: February 7, 2019
A few days after that life-changing conversation with my friend. I realized that If I wanted to leave the corporate world, it’s not enough to acquire and create income-generating assets.
It’s also important to enable myself to find alternative sources of cashflow, to create passive income. So that I could support my living expenses when I resign from work.
This prompted me to start doing freelance jobs. Doing this was easy at first but eventually, personal projects started to become more demanding of my time.
After a few months, I suddenly found myself sacrificing most of my free time to accomplishing the long list of tasks that I needed to do.
To keep my sanity and avoid feeling overwhelmed with my numerous activities, I learned how to manage my time and properly organize and prioritize my To-Do list.
One of the most effective ways I’ve found is applying the four-quadrant chart about urgency and importance. I learned this from a book I read, which Stephen Covey wrote.
The concept is simple, almost automatic and motivational. Below are the steps to do it.
List down everything you need to do
Even if you have a mega memory, I suggest that you don’t keep everything in your head. Get a pen and notebook and unload them from your mind.
Writing down all your tasks makes it easier for you to categorize, break it down, and assign a schedule for its completion. Moreover, crossing off an item in your list will give you a sense of accomplishment and motivate you to do more.
Break down complicated tasks into simple ones
Big tasks become less overwhelming when they are divided into several small and easy steps. Do you need to “submit a bid proposal for a project”?
Try to be more specific with your task and break it down into bite-sized actions. You can “call the client for the project specifications”, “write down project costs”, “evaluate and assign the pricing”, “type and print the project proposal”, “collect and organize bid requirements”, and “bring project proposal to client’s office”.
Evaluate each task and determine if it is urgent or not AND if it important or not
Everything on the list gets assigned two labels with regards to its urgency and importance. You have to be honest with your evaluation.
For example, checking your emails is not always an urgent task except when you’re waiting for an important response from a contact.
Likewise, keeping up to date with the news is important but given some circumstances, it helps to give it less priority especially when our personal lives need more attention.
Group the tasks into quadrants
- Quadrant 1 – URGENT AND IMPORTANT: Emergencies, deadlines, problems.
- Quadrant 2 – NOT URGENT BUT IMPORTANT: Planning, crisis-prevention, networking, health and recreation, personality development
- Quadrant 3 – URGENT BUT NOT IMPORTANT: Errands, some work activities, social interruptions
- Quadrant 4 – NOT URGENT AND NOT IMPORTANT: Trivial tasks, personal distractions, frivolous activities
Assign a schedule for the urgent tasks and make time to do those which are important
Stop procrastinating and immediately take action on your items in the first quadrant.
Moreover, see if you can make the tasks in the third quadrant less urgent so you can move it to Quadrant 4. If not, then immediately finish them and think of ways on how you can avoid having these items under the same quadrant in the future.
More importantly, focus your free time and schedule a date to do the items in Quadrant 2. Accomplishing these tasks are often the ones which propel us forward in life. Lastly, tasks in the fourth quadrant are probably best left undone.
Make it a habit
Always make time to update and evaluate your To-Do list. It helps to write them down in a notebook or a planner, which you can conveniently carry around.
Effective time and task management is a dynamic process, which is reinforced only through discipline, persistence, and a proper perspective on what is truly important in our lives.
What to do next: Click here to subscribe to our FREE newsletter.
[…] but I know you get my point. Breaking down complicated tasks into simple ones is one way to effectively accomplish things and manage your time. Furthermore, I suggest doing away with imposing goals such as “I will […]
[…] opportunity. Thus, it is important that I always update and write down a ToDo list so that I could effectively manage my time. Consequently, by employing this habit, I also lessen doing low-value activities and achieve more […]
[…] is the foundation. It allows us to work efficiently. It is the kinetic energy that gives us power to do our tasks and achieve our […]
[…] Make it a habit to create a daily to-do list. Keep it short so you won’t feel overwhelmed. Your daily core of activities can have at most only two or three tasks, with a couple of things to do just in case you finish early. Prioritize activities which are important and have long-term benefits. Read this article to learn more about proper time management. […]
[…] that by writing them down and doing the process above, you are able to break down your goals into smaller and simpler tasks. Furthermore, you’ve probably made for yourself a concrete plan of action that will help you […]
[…] you’re faced with important tasks, it’s always best to give your full attention. And by breaking up your To-Do list into smaller tasks, integrating similar activities into one task and setting priorities, then more and better results […]
Good post. Being a business owner I have found that it is also good to prioritize things in order of what can make the most money first. Sounds shallow, but money can be a great motivator. Once you have achieved the money goals first you can then tackle the other ones.
[…] a desk clock or timer and calendar. These can help you manage your time and keep you on schedule with your […]
[…] best approach to complete complex activities is to break them down into simple activities, do that every morning, break down the different activities you would like to complete for the day […]
Very nice article on time management. Thanks for the great tips!
[…] best approach to complete complex activities is to break them down into simple activities. Do this every morning by breaking down the different activities you would like to complete for the […]
[…] presented with an important task, perhaps your most vital responsibility is to starting doing something about it right at that […]
[…] best approach to complete complex activities is to break them down into simple activities. Do this every morning by breaking down the different activities you would like to complete for the […]
[…] Not only does it makes sure that you don’t forget anything, it also gives you a bird’s eye view of everything at hand so you can properly manage your time. […]
[…] first time I mentioned this matrix here was in the article, “How To Effectively Accomplish Your Tasks and Manage Your Time” – and I believe it’s a topic worth revisiting […]
[…] saving money. It’s actually about financial planning and discipline. You’ll learn about time management, goal setting and more importantly, you’ll realize what’s really essential in your life […]
[…] Prioritize activities which are important and have long-term benefits. Read this article to learn more about proper time management. […]
[…] in one day. This is pretty much common sense but most people fail to do this because of improper time management. Write down your usual tasks for the week such as banking and grocery shopping and decide on which […]
Your article drew my attention because for 3 years I am a part of a corporate world – I never thought, that I a good match for that, bud sadly I do carry on.. I have no chance to became a freelancer and I have to keep up with my dull routine. It doesn’t mean I am not trying to organize it somehow. I do follow kanbantool.com, in order to have everything settled and in order. It doesn’t help me a lot to be more organized and aware. Well, I wish you luck on your new path and good luck with everything 🙂