http://blog.stunf.com/prioritizing-and-planning-the-urgency-trap/ About the web, software development, productivity, startups and our products. Sun, 13 Nov 2011 22:10:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.5 http://blog.stunf.com/prioritizing-and-planning-the-urgency-trap/#comment-6 wim Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:36:40 +0000 http://stunf.com/blog/?p=9#comment-6 Thanks for the comments. Sure, there's always a catch and balance is key. That's where it helps to set goals for yourself, and make trade-offs. What's most important to you? What do you really need to maintain yourself? Those tasks keeping me from working on my long term goals, are they <em>really</em> necessary (is it really important, or just a nag task). Say no sometimes. Try to eliminate and delegate where possible. If you must work on category 1 tasks, focus on the tasks that bring you the most value in the shortest time and consider dropping a few that bring little value (i.e. re-evaluate their importance). Maybe the slight short-term decrease in revenue, salary or whatever is worth the extra time you gain to spend on long-term goals, which can eventually be more rewarding. The ideal situation would of course be that in the end you enjoy working on almost all tasks, and that even the urgent ones somehow help your long term goals. Thanks for the comments. Sure, there’s always a catch and balance is key. That’s where it helps to set goals for yourself, and make trade-offs. What’s most important to you? What do you really need to maintain yourself? Those tasks keeping me from working on my long term goals, are they really necessary (is it really important, or just a nag task). Say no sometimes. Try to eliminate and delegate where possible. If you must work on category 1 tasks, focus on the tasks that bring you the most value in the shortest time and consider dropping a few that bring little value (i.e. re-evaluate their importance). Maybe the slight short-term decrease in revenue, salary or whatever is worth the extra time you gain to spend on long-term goals, which can eventually be more rewarding. The ideal situation would of course be that in the end you enjoy working on almost all tasks, and that even the urgent ones somehow help your long term goals.

]]> http://blog.stunf.com/prioritizing-and-planning-the-urgency-trap/#comment-5 Parth Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:28:35 +0000 http://stunf.com/blog/?p=9#comment-5 Nice. Basically, focus on long-term goals, but do what is necessary to maintain yourself. For example, paying your rent is menial task, but important, of course. Your long term goal may not be financial, but what's necessary to maintain yourself, your home, and your family, is. How do you balance the two? Nice. Basically, focus on long-term goals, but do what is necessary to maintain yourself. For example, paying your rent is menial task, but important, of course. Your long term goal may not be financial, but what’s necessary to maintain yourself, your home, and your family, is. How do you balance the two?

]]> http://blog.stunf.com/prioritizing-and-planning-the-urgency-trap/#comment-4 John Thu, 23 Oct 2008 22:57:06 +0000 http://stunf.com/blog/?p=9#comment-4 One of the key differentiators between most online task management applications is priority. Some of the methods choose the priorities for you, which is helpful to people who are having problems prioritizing tasks. Other methods will let you customize the priorities, so you can set them exactly as you like. Either way, fewer priorities is always better. A clear distinction like you've outlined above makes it so much easier to decide what to do and when. One of the key differentiators between most online task management applications is priority. Some of the methods choose the priorities for you, which is helpful to people who are having problems prioritizing tasks. Other methods will let you customize the priorities, so you can set them exactly as you like. Either way, fewer priorities is always better. A clear distinction like you’ve outlined above makes it so much easier to decide what to do and when.

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