The Art of Prioritization
How to Execute on What Actually Matters
Let’s be real, most people don’t have a time management problem. They have a prioritization problem. If you constantly feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day, the issue probably isn’t the number of hours, it’s how you’re spending them.
We all get the same 24 hours. The difference between people who get things done and those who just stay busy: Prioritization. Whether you’re leading a team, training for peak performance, or just trying to make it through your to-do list without having a minor existential crisis, mastering this skill is the key to making progress.
Here’s how to cut through the noise and focus on what moves the needle.
Biggest Prioritization Mistake: Treating Everything Like It’s Equal
Spoiler alert: Not all tasks matter the same. Some create massive results, while others are just distractions wearing a “productive” disguise. If everything on your list feels urgent, you’re setting yourself up for a constant game of whack-a-mole instead of making real progress.
So, before you add another thing to your to-do list, ask yourself:
Will this actually move me toward my goal?
If the answer is no, it’s either a distraction, busy work, or something you should delegate to someone else (or just ignore completely, because let’s be honest, some tasks only exist because you feel guilty about not doing them).
1. Use the Eisenhower Matrix: Urgent vs. Important
President Dwight Eisenhower (who, you know, had a few important things on his plate) once said, “What is important is seldom urgent, and what is urgent is seldom important.” This is where the Eisenhower Matrix comes in, a simple tool to categorize your tasks based on urgency and importance.
The Four Quadrants of Prioritization
Quadrant 1: Urgent & Important → Do It Now
Crisis situations, critical deadlines, or high-impact tasks that require immediate action.
Example: Handling an emergency at work, solving a major client issue.
Quadrant 2: Important but Not Urgent → Schedule It
Long-term growth tasks that don’t feel urgent (yet) but are game changers.
Example: Strategic planning, skill development, training, or relationship-building.
High performers live here. Low performers forget this quadrant exists.
Quadrant 3: Urgent but Not Important → Delegate It
Tasks that feel pressing but don’t actually move the needle.
Example: Most emails, unnecessary meetings, someone else's "urgent" request.
If you can, hand these off (or pretend you didn’t see them, kidding… mostly).
Quadrant 4: Neither Urgent nor Important → Eliminate It
Low-value tasks that waste time and energy.
Example: Mindless social media scrolling, busy work, excessive news consumption.
Action Step: Audit your tasks this week and put them into the right quadrant. Then adjust accordingly, because if you’re spending all your time in Quadrants 3 and 4, no wonder you feel busy but never accomplished.
2. The Pareto Principle: Focus on the 20% That Drives 80% of Results
The Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule) states that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. This applies to everything, business, training, leadership, and even personal productivity.
Applying the 80/20 Rule to Prioritization:
Identify the 20% of your tasks that create the biggest impact and double down on them.
Eliminate or delegate the remaining 80% that produces minimal results.
Example: If you’re growing a business, spending time on high-value client relationships or strategic planning will yield far better results than tweaking your website for hours, John.
Action Step: Identify your high-impact 20% tasks today and schedule them first.
3. The 3-Task Rule: Win the Day by Keeping It Simple
Overcomplicating your day with too many tasks leads to overwhelm and inaction. Instead, focus on just three high-impact tasks per day.
At the start of each day, ask:
What are the three most important tasks that will move me forward?
Then, commit to completing those first, before you get lost in emails, texts, and the latest drama on social media.
Action Step: Before bed tonight, write down tomorrow’s top three tasks. Then dominate them.
4. The “Hell Yeah or No” Rule: Ruthlessly Cut What Doesn’t Matter
Derek Sivers put it best, “If it’s not a Hell Yeah! Then it’s a No.”
Too many people overcommit and fill their schedules with stuff that doesn’t matter. The most productive people are ruthless about what they commit their time to.
Ask yourself before taking on a task or project:
Does this align with my long-term vision?
Does this task energize and excite me?
Will this lead to meaningful progress?
If the answer isn’t a resounding yes, it’s a hard no.
Action Step: Audit your current commitments and eliminate anything that doesn’t align with your top priorities.
5. Create a System to Protect Your Priorities
Once you know what matters, the next challenge is protecting your time from distractions and unnecessary obligations.
Strategies to Defend Your Time:
Time Blocking: Schedule your most important tasks first in your calendar. Treat them as non-negotiable.
Eliminate Distractions: Turn off notifications, set boundaries, stop checking your phone every 5 minutes, and create an environment that supports deep work.
Batch Similar Tasks: Group things like emails, meetings, or admin work together so they don’t disrupt deep work.
Action Step: Block off dedicated time for your most important work and defend it like your life depends on it.
Final Thoughts: Prioritization Is a Skill, Master It and You Win
At the end of the day, prioritization is what separates people who make real progress from those who just stay busy.
· Filter out distractions.
· Focus on what matters.
· Protect your time like it’s gold (because it is).
Now it’s your turn:
Which of these prioritization strategies will you implement today?
