This article is part of a series published on our LinkedIn account by guest writers. Today's article was written by Tanya Tesnovets, IMA member from Ukraine  on 15th October 2024.

In today's fast-paced work environment, effective task prioritization and time management are essential skills for assistants. Whether you are supporting executives, managing projects, or handling day-to-day operations, you must navigate a myriad of responsibilities while ensuring that critical tasks are completed efficiently. Mastering the art of task management can significantly enhance productivity and reduce stress. This involves prioritizing tasks, setting deadlines, and optimizing schedules to achieve maximum efficiency. Here’s a guide to refining these essential skills. 

Prioritizing 

It goes without saying that distinguishing between what is urgent and what is important is paramount. The following steps will help you to ensure you prioritize effectively. 

First, identify key tasks. Start by listing all the tasks at hand. This could involve administrative duties, attending meetings, managing communications and so on. 

Then determine urgency and importance. There are many ways to do it like using Eisenhower matrix, Pareto principle, MoSCoW method, but I like to use a ranking system: assigning ranks to tasks (e.g., A, B, C) based on deadlines and consequences of not completing them. Crucial tasks with significant impact fall into A tasks, tasks that aid ongoing projects and goals will be B tasks, and routine tasks that must be completed but don’t require immediate attention will be C tasks. 

Don’t forget to align your prioritization with the executive’s goals. I usually add it to the agenda for my regular 1:1s with the CEO to understand both long-term objectives and immediate requirements. Of course, prioritization isn’t a one-time task. Regularly update your priorities as conditions change to ensure you’re always focusing on the right things. 

Setting deadlines 

Setting realistic and clear deadlines is essential to keep tasks on track and avoid any last-minute rushes. Obviously, there are strategies for setting effective deadlines like breaking tasks into smaller parts and estimating the time each part will take. To help maintain a balance between urgency and importance arrange the tasks with immediate deadlines and those with later deadlines separately. 

Another thing I like doing is allocating extra time beyond the estimates to accommodate unforeseen delays. This prevents stress and keeps you on schedule even if adjustments are needed. When I work with the team, I’m always making sure that everyone is aware of the deadlines. This helps in accountability and ensures collective adherence to timelines. There are countless tools available to help you stay organized, from digital task managers like Todoist and Trello to traditional planners and notebooks. Find a system that resonates with you and stick to it. 

Optimizing schedules 

An optimized schedule maximizes productivity while minimizing stress and burnout. 

For better coordination and planning use digital tools to ensure that your schedule is updated and accessible across all your devices. Group similar tasks and allocate specific times for them, such as emails, phone calls or meetings to better focus and increase efficiency. Don’t forget to schedule breaks to refresh your mind. At the end of each day or week, review what you’ve accomplished and adjust your schedule and strategies accordingly to improve efficiency. 

Effective task management is an art and a science, requiring a blend of well-honed skills, discipline, and technology. By mastering prioritizing, setting realistic deadlines, and optimizing schedules, you can transform how you work, enhance productivity, and contribute more significantly to your organization. Remember, efficiency in managing tasks is not just about doing more in less time; it's about focusing on the right tasks at the right time. 

 

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This article is penned by Tanya Tesnovets, Sr. Executive Business Partner to CEO / Head of EA&PA department at Star and a member of IMA from Ukraine. 

The Guest Writer series features contributions from IMA members worldwide, showcasing the diverse experiences and expertise of management assistants within our network. Each piece offers unique perspectives, practical advice, and personal reflections from professionals in the field. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author. 

 

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