Balance Multiple Priorities at Work and at Home

One of the most difficult things to do in today's workplace is to balance multiple priorities while meeting deadlines and quality standards. I've had to learn in my career that it is imperative to balance multiple priorities, both at work and at home, or you will risk the wrath of your boss and your family. On the other hand, you will often read that humans are most effective when they focus on one task at a time.

So, how to you find a way to get your work done fast, get your work done right, and yet focus on one thing at a time? It's not easy, but the following tips will help you manage your workload a little better:

Balance Multiple Priorities Tip #5 - Keep a list... just one list

Keep a list with all of the items that you have to do, and keep only the one list. I've even begun to put both work and home tasks on the same list. If it seems too difficult to carry around one notebook that you write everything into at any time, it probably is. So, I just carry around paper, and jot down notes to help me balance multiple priorities. But, I always make sure to transfer the notes to my singular list in a timely manner.

Balance Multiple Priorities Tip #4 - Organize the list

Once you've started to keep a single list, find a way to organize and prioritize it. This can be done in an infinite number of ways, but you will find a way that works best for you. I prioritize the items within the categories of work and home by the headers "Do Soon" and "Do Sometime". If items are time-sensitive, I attach a date and also place the item on a calendar to balance multiple priorities.

Balance Multiple Priorities Tip #3 - Refer to the list

Now that you have a single list, organized and prioritized, it is absolutely necessary to refer to the list often to balance multiple priorities. If you don't refer to the list every day or so, you will begin to lose trust in the list and will discard it. Besides, doesn't it feel great to cross things off of your list? You should want to pursue that feeling on a daily basis.

Balance Multiple Priorities Tip #2 - Plan your day, but allow for flexibility

If you refer to your list on a daily basis, you can plan out your day and balance multiple priorities. Your plan will probably include the items that must be done on that day, the items that would be nice to get done, and any other item that you think you may have a chance to work on during the day. Whatever your plan, be sure not to pack your day so tightly that there is no room for deviation. The only thing you can be sure of on a day-to-day basis is that you will have unexpected tasks pop up.

Balance Multiple Priorities Tip #1 - Execute, but don't give up if you fall behind

With your plan in place, execute the tasks to help balance multiple priorities. The most important thing to remember is that you must focus on the task at hand. Allot a certain amount of time and devote it to one item on your list at a time. Forget the other items and concentrate.

If you should miss a day, a week, or even a month of organization, don't give up. Try to pick up where you left off. It will help you in the long run and the more you practice, the easier it will get.

In summary, it's very important to balance multiple priorities in life and at work. It can be very daunting and overwhelming when you have literally dozens of different tasks to complete. With these tips you should be able to remain calm and cut through those tasks in an orderly fashion. This is how you can balance multiple priorities.