How to Prioritize Daily Tasks

I'm excited to share my system for staying productive all day, every day. This system allowed me to sell over $100M in my B2B sales career, then build a 7 figure coaching business working an average of 40 hours/week. Most importantly, my nights and weekends are free to spend with my family. Here's are the 3 simple steps I take every single week: Step 1: Complete a Weekly Plan & Scorecard at the beginning of each week On Monday mornings (or Sunday evening), I print and fill out a Weekly Plan & Scorecard. On this document, I write down all the important tasks and action items I aspire to get done that week in no particular order. I then rank each task in order of priority, typically prioritizing RGA's (Revenue Generating Activities) for my business. I originally took this scorecard from a book called the 12 Week Year, then adapted it to include a "Rank" column, which allows me to prioritize each action item. Prioritizing the Action Items allows me to know where to start every day, and prevents me from getting overwhelmed. Step 2: Daily Task Blocking in Calendar Whitespace At the beginning of each weekday, I fill up all the whitespace on my calendar for that day with high priority tasks taken directly from the Weekly Plan & Scorecard. This ensures that the most important tasks for the week get done first and eliminates daily decision fatigue. The key is to put the specific tasks on your calendar so there's no empty space. If for some reason any tasks on the calendar don't get completed for that day, I move them to the next day in any open whitespace. Step 3: Weekly Scoring At the end of each week, I score my performance using the simple formula: Tasks Completed / Tasks Written Down = Score % My goal is to score 85% or higher each week, although admittedly there are many weeks where I fall short. If there are any tasks that didn't get completed that week, they get moved to the following week. I rinse and repeat this process every single week. This ensures that I SHOW UP every single day, and stay productive throughout the entire work week. Additional keys to success include: 1. Taking short breaks when you feel mentally drained. Stretching, a short walk, and standing desk do wonders to change your state. 2. Minimize the number of daily meetings on your calendar (4 or less is optimal) to stay focused and ensure you have enough whitespace to get deep work done. 3. Give yourself an hour lunch to break up the work day. Every day I have lunch with my wife, and that's also on the calendar. 4. Do one thing at a time 5. If you have an unproductive day, forgive yourself. Of course, this is all easier said than done... That's why next week, in our 2nd *Transformation Tuesday* LIVE training session, I'm going to walk you through exactly how to leverage The 12 Week Year (and Weekly Scorecard) to transform your productivity and your life. Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/gsPsq2XR Only 500 spots available due to Zoom webinar limit!

Most of us struggle to name our priorities. Did you know that many AI agency owners can't decide what to tackle first? This skill, known as prioritization, is crucial for better productivity and growth. Eisenhower Matrix It’s a tool that helps sort tasks by urgency and importance. It teaches us to focus on what truly matters, boosting our agency's output. Here are a few specific techniques you can use to improve your prioritization: 1. Urgent + Important: Do these tasks ASAP These tasks directly impact your bottom line and can't wait. Think of client deadlines, critical bug fixes, or securing that game-changing contract. Tackle these first. 2. Important, but not urgent: Schedule these tasks These tasks are crucial for your long-term success but don't have a pressing deadline. Think strategic planning, team training, or process optimization. Block out time for these in your calendar. 3. Urgent, but not important: Delegate these tasks These tasks need to get done quickly but don't require your personal attention. Think data entry, basic research, or routine admin work. Train your team to handle these or consider automating them. 4. Neither urgent nor important: Cut these tasks These are the true time-suckers. Think endless email scrolling, needless meetings, or low-value busy work. Eliminate these ruthlessly. Your time is your most precious resource. Implementing the Eisenhower Matrix revolutionized my agency's output. We cut our weekly meetings by 50%, automated 30% of our admin tasks, and saw a 25% jump in billable hours - all within a month. But don't just take my word for it. Grab a pen and try it yourself: List out all your current tasks Sort them into the four quadrants Take action: do, schedule, delegate, or delete Repeat weekly to keep your priorities razor-sharp The Eisenhower Matrix is a simple hack, but its impact can be profound. Give it a shot and watch your agency's productivity skyrocket. Remember: It's not about doing more things - it's about doing the right things. Prioritize ruthlessly and watch your agency soar.

Sometimes I look back at my time in the Air Force and wonder how I got everything done . . . how did I get kids to soccer, stay credible in the airplane, do laundry and grocery shopping, and focus on my role as a commander and leader. The reality is that there were often times where I felt overwhelmed by multiple competing priorities . . . there just didn’t seem to be enough time in the day to get it all done. The only way I could keep my head above water was to get serious and deliberate about prioritizing. I didn’t always get this right, but here are a few ideas that can help with prioritizing tasks and making the most of your time: 1️⃣ Identify Your Goals/Priorities: Clearly define your objectives to focus on tasks that align with your priorities. 2️⃣ Prioritize Tasks: Conduct a thorough analysis of your daily tasks. Determine which tasks are urgent and important, and focus on completing those first. {I didn’t know about the Eisenhower Matrix then, but I find it highly effective now for prioritizing tasks.)   3️⃣ Delegate Responsibilities: Trust others to handle tasks not directly related to your core responsibilities, freeing up time for priorities. 4️⃣ Set Realistic Deadlines: Break down larger tasks into smaller steps with achievable deadlines to maintain steady progress. Micro/quick wins are also good for motivation. (I personally enjoy crossing items off of my to-do list.) 5️⃣ Learn to Say No: Be selective about new commitments to avoid overloading your schedule (sometimes easier said than done, and it’s helpful to have an accountability partner on this). 6️⃣ Block your Schedule: Consider setting aside specific blocks in your schedule for strategic thinking. Creating this space ensures that you are actively working toward your goals and objectives and not just getting bogged down in the weeds. 7️⃣ Review and Adjust: Regularly reassess your schedule and priorities to ensure they align with your goals, adjusting as needed. (I use a high tech sticky note and review/re-write at the end of each day). Whether you're a business professional, military member, entrepreneur, or student, effective time management is key to maintaining productivity and reducing stress. #Prioritization #ProfessionalDevelopment #PersonalDevelopment

How to Prioritize When Everything Feels Urgent 👇 Ever feel like everything on your to-do list is "urgent"? As Product Managers, this feeling can be overwhelming. But the truth is, not everything is equally important. Today, I’m sharing simple strategies and personal methods to master prioritization even when everything feels urgent. 1. The 80/20 Rule (Pareto Principle): Focus on High-Impact Tasks When everything feels urgent, it’s easy to confuse "busy" with "productive." How it works: The 80/20 Rule states that 80% of results come from 20% of the work. My Approach: Identify the 20% of tasks that will create 80% of the impact. Ask, "If I could only accomplish one task today, which one would have the biggest impact?" Ruthlessly cut or postpone "low-impact" tasks until essential work is done Example: Instead of responding to every email immediately, I’ll spend the first hour of my day working on the most critical task like preparing a roadmap presentation for stakeholders. 2. One Big Thing" Method: Reduce Cognitive Overload When everything feels urgent, decision fatigue sets in fast. How it works: Focus on just one "big thing" per day and make it your primary goal. My Approach: Every morning, I ask, "If I could only achieve one thing today, what would it be?" I write it down at the top of my planner and prioritize it over everything else. Once it’s done, I’ll move on to smaller tasks or "urgent" requests. Example: If I need to finalize a product strategy document, that becomes my "One Big Thing" for the day. Only after it's complete will I review smaller tasks like answering Slack messages or attending low-priority meetings. 3. The 2-Minute Rule: Avoid Task Accumulation Tiny, quick tasks have a sneaky way of building up until they feel "urgent." How it works: If a task takes less than 2 minutes, do it now instead of delaying. My Approach: I’ll address simple requests (like approving an expense) as soon as I see them. This prevents my task list from filling up with low-effort items that drain my mental bandwidth. Example: Instead of saving 5 tiny Slack requests to "do later," I’ll handle them at the moment if they take less than 2 minutes. Prioritization isn’t about doing everything. It’s about doing the right things.   Which of these 3 methods do you use most often? #productmanager #productmanagement

Ever felt like the day runs away before you accomplish what you planned? My dad taught me a powerful habit that changed how I approach each day—and it’s simple. Every night, he’d sit down after dinner and write the ten things he was going to get done the next day. The next morning, he’d execute on that list without fail until every task was checked off. This routine wasn’t just something he did; it was a mindset—creating tomorrow, today. ✅ Start Your Day the Night Before You don’t need to rely on motivation; you need a clear plan. Before you go to bed, take a few minutes to list the key things you want to achieve tomorrow. Prioritize them and commit to finishing the list. When you wake up, you won’t be guessing what needs your attention—you’ll know exactly where to focus your energy. The consistency of doing this day after day compounds into bigger progress over time. ✨ Next time you feel overwhelmed by what tomorrow might bring, remember—you have the power to create it today. Just take a few minutes tonight to plan and set yourself up for success. Start making tomorrow’s list tonight and watch how it transforms your productivity. What’s on your list?