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Prioritizing tasks has become essential in an environment where demands are multiplying and teams are often operating in hybrid mode. Prioritization enables you to regain control of your agenda, focus your energy on actions that really create value, and avoid the feeling of always being in reaction. This article explains how to prioritize effectively, using simple methods, concrete examples from managerial situations and routines that can be applied on a daily basis.
Many professionals go into prioritization with an optimization reflex. They immediately look for the right tool or method. Yet the first step is often much simpler. It involves understanding what really impacts individual and collective objectives. Without this clarity, prioritization becomes mechanical. We classify, we sort, but we don't really decide. A NUMA coach summed it up this way during a workshop. If you don't know why a task is important, you'll never be able to decide when to do it.
One exercise we regularly use in our training courses is to ask managers to name their three highest value-added missions. Most struggle to define more than one. This discrepancy between essential missions and day-to-day actions goes a long way towards explaining the feeling of running without making progress. Clarifying key missions is therefore an essential prerequisite. Once this clarity has been established, methods such as the Eisenhower matrix, timeboxing or SMART objectives become truly effective. They cease to be sorting tools and become decision-making tools.
The Eisenhower matrix remains one of the simplest tools for regaining readability. It is based on a distinction that seems obvious but is almost never so in practice. An urgent task is not necessarily important. An important task is not necessarily urgent. In most NUMA training courses, we observe that employees consider anything that happens to them quickly to be urgent. A flashing email, a Slack message, a missed call. The brain confuses speed with priority.
The matrix forces us to slow down for a second and ask ourselves what the real impact is. A manager who immediately responds to all his emails rarely makes progress on his structuring projects. A manager who deals with the important tasks first builds lasting momentum. The simple fact of identifying truly strategic tasks transforms the day. For example, a head of operations we coached discovered that his daily emergencies stemmed mainly from one-off requests that could have been grouped together. By reclassifying his tasks using the matrix, he chose to reserve a single slot each day to deal with these requests. The rest of the time, he concentrated on formalizing new processes. In just three weeks, his team gained in autonomy and the volume of emergencies decreased.
SMART objectives provide a valuable framework for prioritization. When an objective is clear, precise and measurable, it becomes much easier to identify the actions that really count. A vague objective, on the other hand, is open to interpretation. This is what generates a high level of dispersion within teams. For example, if a customer service team's objective is to boost satisfaction, everyone may understand something different. Some will think that we need to respond faster, others that we need to improve the quality of responses, and still others that we need to enrich the knowledge base. By defining a SMART objective such as reducing response time by 20 percent by the end of the quarter, the priority becomes immediately visible. The mental load is reduced and actions are aligned.
The managers we train often share their surprise. They thought they lacked the tools, but what they really lacked was clarity on their objectives. Once the objectives have been clarified, the priorities are self-evident. It also becomes easier to arbitrate. A task that has no obvious link with a SMART objective can be postponed, delegated or eliminated. This rigor avoids filling the diary with automatic tasks that don't really contribute to results.
Timeboxing provides a simple answer to a widespread problem. Repeated interruptions and multitasking fragment concentration and reduce real efficiency. Timeboxing consists in reserving time slots dedicated to a single activity. During this time, nothing else is processed. This approach protects intellectually demanding tasks. For example, writing a strategic report cannot be done between two Slack notifications. It requires a minimum amount of concentration.
In NUMA training courses, we observe an interesting phenomenon. Managers who adopt timeboxing feel a tangible sense of progress. They make real progress on the tasks that count. They also reduce their daily frustration. One manager explained to us that since he now blocks two 90-minute slots a week to prepare for his customer meetings, he arrives more serene and better prepared. The quality of his discussions has improved as a result. In fact, his team has adopted this cascading practice.
Prioritization rarely fails because of a lack of tools. It fails because certain reflexes persist. One of the most common is the confusion between urgency and importance. This confusion leads to requests that come last being dealt with first. It gives the impression of being in a constant race, and creates the illusion of being efficient while remaining in reactive mode. Another recurring pitfall is the temptation to multiply priorities. Many managers claim to have five or six priorities, sometimes ten. In reality, this means they have none at all. Prioritization is based on choices. These choices can be uncomfortable, but they are essential if we are to regain our effectiveness.
The final pitfall is the absence of arbitration criteria. When everything seems important, nothing really is. Defining simple criteria changes the whole dynamic. For example, a manager might decide to prioritize tasks according to their direct contribution to the customer, their impact on strategy or their ability to unblock the team. These three criteria are enough to reduce indecision and structure the work.
Prioritization is not a one-off exercise. It's a routine that you build up over time. Setting up dedicated times helps to keep things on track. Many managers choose to set aside a weekly slot to prepare for the following week. Thirty minutes is enough to review what has been achieved, what needs to be readjusted and what needs to be given priority. This practice eases the mental load. It also provides an overview of the efforts ahead.
Sharing your priorities with your team is another powerful lever. Some managers send out a simple message every Monday morning listing the week's three main priorities. This transparency clarifies expectations and avoids misunderstandings. It also enables the team to naturally align around common objectives. In a hybrid context, this practice strengthens cohesion and facilitates coordination.
The role of the manager is not limited to prioritizing for oneself. It also involves helping the team to make more relevant choices. This is where individual coaching becomes a key lever. Asking simple questions helps employees take a step back. For example, asking which three tasks will create the most impact this week opens the door to constructive reflection. This type of question fosters autonomy and encourages everyone to exercise their own judgement.
Teamwork also plays an essential role. Organizing a regular review of the team's priorities helps reduce ambiguity. Everyone understands what the others are working on and why. It also provides an opportunity to identify obstacles and redistribute resources. A team that prioritizes together moves forward faster and more coherently. It limits the number of emergencies it has to deal with, and reinforces mutual trust.
Prioritizing doesn't mean doing less, but making better decisions. This skill creates a virtuous circle. Less urgency, more clarity, more meaning, more efficiency. It also helps avoid burnout. Days become structured. Energy is focused on what really counts. Teams gain in fluidity and responsibility.
To reinforce this skill and anchor it for the long term, NUMA offers a complete course on focus, which supports managers in setting up effective routines adapted to their reality in the field. For a more in-depth look at complementary topics, you can also consult our articles dedicated to mental workload, developing team autonomy or setting up effective management rituals.
Prioritizing tasks has become essential in an environment where demands are multiplying and teams are often operating in hybrid mode. Prioritization enables you to regain control of your agenda, focus your energy on actions that really create value, and avoid the feeling of always being in reaction. This article explains how to prioritize effectively, using simple methods, concrete examples from managerial situations and routines that can be applied on a daily basis.
Many professionals go into prioritization with an optimization reflex. They immediately look for the right tool or method. Yet the first step is often much simpler. It involves understanding what really impacts individual and collective objectives. Without this clarity, prioritization becomes mechanical. We classify, we sort, but we don't really decide. A NUMA coach summed it up this way during a workshop. If you don't know why a task is important, you'll never be able to decide when to do it.
One exercise we regularly use in our training courses is to ask managers to name their three highest value-added missions. Most struggle to define more than one. This discrepancy between essential missions and day-to-day actions goes a long way towards explaining the feeling of running without making progress. Clarifying key missions is therefore an essential prerequisite. Once this clarity has been established, methods such as the Eisenhower matrix, timeboxing or SMART objectives become truly effective. They cease to be sorting tools and become decision-making tools.
The Eisenhower matrix remains one of the simplest tools for regaining readability. It is based on a distinction that seems obvious but is almost never so in practice. An urgent task is not necessarily important. An important task is not necessarily urgent. In most NUMA training courses, we observe that employees consider anything that happens to them quickly to be urgent. A flashing email, a Slack message, a missed call. The brain confuses speed with priority.
The matrix forces us to slow down for a second and ask ourselves what the real impact is. A manager who immediately responds to all his emails rarely makes progress on his structuring projects. A manager who deals with the important tasks first builds lasting momentum. The simple fact of identifying truly strategic tasks transforms the day. For example, a head of operations we coached discovered that his daily emergencies stemmed mainly from one-off requests that could have been grouped together. By reclassifying his tasks using the matrix, he chose to reserve a single slot each day to deal with these requests. The rest of the time, he concentrated on formalizing new processes. In just three weeks, his team gained in autonomy and the volume of emergencies decreased.
SMART objectives provide a valuable framework for prioritization. When an objective is clear, precise and measurable, it becomes much easier to identify the actions that really count. A vague objective, on the other hand, is open to interpretation. This is what generates a high level of dispersion within teams. For example, if a customer service team's objective is to boost satisfaction, everyone may understand something different. Some will think that we need to respond faster, others that we need to improve the quality of responses, and still others that we need to enrich the knowledge base. By defining a SMART objective such as reducing response time by 20 percent by the end of the quarter, the priority becomes immediately visible. The mental load is reduced and actions are aligned.
The managers we train often share their surprise. They thought they lacked the tools, but what they really lacked was clarity on their objectives. Once the objectives have been clarified, the priorities are self-evident. It also becomes easier to arbitrate. A task that has no obvious link with a SMART objective can be postponed, delegated or eliminated. This rigor avoids filling the diary with automatic tasks that don't really contribute to results.
Timeboxing provides a simple answer to a widespread problem. Repeated interruptions and multitasking fragment concentration and reduce real efficiency. Timeboxing consists in reserving time slots dedicated to a single activity. During this time, nothing else is processed. This approach protects intellectually demanding tasks. For example, writing a strategic report cannot be done between two Slack notifications. It requires a minimum amount of concentration.
In NUMA training courses, we observe an interesting phenomenon. Managers who adopt timeboxing feel a tangible sense of progress. They make real progress on the tasks that count. They also reduce their daily frustration. One manager explained to us that since he now blocks two 90-minute slots a week to prepare for his customer meetings, he arrives more serene and better prepared. The quality of his discussions has improved as a result. In fact, his team has adopted this cascading practice.
Prioritization rarely fails because of a lack of tools. It fails because certain reflexes persist. One of the most common is the confusion between urgency and importance. This confusion leads to requests that come last being dealt with first. It gives the impression of being in a constant race, and creates the illusion of being efficient while remaining in reactive mode. Another recurring pitfall is the temptation to multiply priorities. Many managers claim to have five or six priorities, sometimes ten. In reality, this means they have none at all. Prioritization is based on choices. These choices can be uncomfortable, but they are essential if we are to regain our effectiveness.
The final pitfall is the absence of arbitration criteria. When everything seems important, nothing really is. Defining simple criteria changes the whole dynamic. For example, a manager might decide to prioritize tasks according to their direct contribution to the customer, their impact on strategy or their ability to unblock the team. These three criteria are enough to reduce indecision and structure the work.
Prioritization is not a one-off exercise. It's a routine that you build up over time. Setting up dedicated times helps to keep things on track. Many managers choose to set aside a weekly slot to prepare for the following week. Thirty minutes is enough to review what has been achieved, what needs to be readjusted and what needs to be given priority. This practice eases the mental load. It also provides an overview of the efforts ahead.
Sharing your priorities with your team is another powerful lever. Some managers send out a simple message every Monday morning listing the week's three main priorities. This transparency clarifies expectations and avoids misunderstandings. It also enables the team to naturally align around common objectives. In a hybrid context, this practice strengthens cohesion and facilitates coordination.
The role of the manager is not limited to prioritizing for oneself. It also involves helping the team to make more relevant choices. This is where individual coaching becomes a key lever. Asking simple questions helps employees take a step back. For example, asking which three tasks will create the most impact this week opens the door to constructive reflection. This type of question fosters autonomy and encourages everyone to exercise their own judgement.
Teamwork also plays an essential role. Organizing a regular review of the team's priorities helps reduce ambiguity. Everyone understands what the others are working on and why. It also provides an opportunity to identify obstacles and redistribute resources. A team that prioritizes together moves forward faster and more coherently. It limits the number of emergencies it has to deal with, and reinforces mutual trust.
Prioritizing doesn't mean doing less, but making better decisions. This skill creates a virtuous circle. Less urgency, more clarity, more meaning, more efficiency. It also helps avoid burnout. Days become structured. Energy is focused on what really counts. Teams gain in fluidity and responsibility.
To reinforce this skill and anchor it for the long term, NUMA offers a complete course on focus, which supports managers in setting up effective routines adapted to their reality in the field. For a more in-depth look at complementary topics, you can also consult our articles dedicated to mental workload, developing team autonomy or setting up effective management rituals.
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