3 Ways to Organize your Tasks and Time

In this video, I described the three buckets I use to organize my tasks. Then I prioritize the buckets to accomplish the tasks in the order that will be most productive and allow me to reach my goals the quickest. It might be tempting to accomplish smaller, shorter tasks first; but those aren't always the most pressing or important tasks.

Use this free printable guide to help you organize your tasks and time so that you too can be productive. Then follow the process mentioned below to create your attack plan.

Time-Bound Tasks

These are any tasks that have a specific due date. When working with deadlines, it is always best practice to accomplish the task ahead of time. This is important in case adjustments need to be made or other team members need to collaborate with you on their portion of the task. Prioritizing time bound tasks first ensures you always deliver as promised- no late, sloppy, rushed work. Once all the items that have deadlines are in this bucket, sequence the deadlines from earliest to latest deadline. You do not need to finish every deadline item before moving on to the next bucket. However, you do need to calendar out your time to know that you can accomplish all upcoming deadlines in a reasonable amount of time. If you have deadlines for a month - quarter out, you can pause your work in this bucket and move on to the next, knowing you'll have time to come back around at a later date to accomplish these time bound tasks prior to those extended deadlines. Examples of time-bound tasks could be create class lists, purchase technology options for classrooms, meet and greet parents, or deliver textbooks to classrooms.

Priority Tasks

Priority tasks are the most essential tasks. These tasks are very important to the overall scope and sequence of the work you do every day. They might not have deadlines, but they are crucial for doing your job effectively and having a positive impact in your role. Even within this bucket, you will need to organize items. Some will be important and some will be the biggest lever task(s). If you are able to accomplish those one to two things well, your work is at a great advantage for the remainder of your time in that role. Organize these priority tasks from most essential to essential (because anything not important isn't even in this bucket!). You can pause your work in this bucket if some of these items will take months to complete. You can accomplish other tasks in the meantime, leaving adequate time to come back and work on these items. Examples of priority tasks could be write a scope and sequence for a new curriculum, develop an on-boarding process for new hires, or create PD material for facilitators to present to teachers.

Productivity Tasks

Finally, productivity tasks are the remaining tasks that have to get completed that neither have a deadline nor are majorly important. Oftentimes, these are the tasks we like to accomplish because they are things we like. Or they are quick tasks that make us feel like we are flying through our to-do list like productivity ninjas! Most times, these items can be done at any point in time when you have a handful of minutes to spare or can even delegate out to others to help you accomplish them. Examples of productivity tasks could be change out your classroom bulletin board, organize your office space, or research future community outreach partnerships.

Best of luck as you organize your tasks and time month after month, year after year. This is a timeless process you can come back to each time you need it.

GO BE GREAT!