Episode 40: Finish What You Start

How to Prioritize Tasks and Ideas in Your Business

The ability to prioritize tasks in your business will send your results through the roof. And I’m not talking about routine, admin-type tasks. We’re talking all the visionary, creative ideas for the future of your business. I’m sure you’ve got them coming out of your ears!

In today’s episode, I’m teaching you how to prioritize tasks so that you and your team can focus on one thing at a time…and finish what you’ve started. 

Brainstorming and offloading ideas is a healthy sign for your business…unless you’re starting new ideas without finishing them. When you start multiple projects at once, it can take so long to juggle through them that most of the genius ideas never come to life.

I’ve certainly done the same as the CEO of my business. Just a few weeks ago, I found that I was overwhelming my team with the number of active projects. I had so many things that I wanted to accomplish. I kept starting new things. It all made sense in my brain but I wasn’t slowing down long enough to support my team in what they needed to get the project done.

We had to take a step back and find a method that allowed me to express my creative side, while also allowing my team to perform at their highest level… doing the things they are so good at.

Here are the methods we came up with, that have allowed us to bring an incredible amount of ideas to life.

7 Methods on How to Prioritize Tasks and Ideas, Without Overwhelming Your Team

1. Create a Container for New Ideas

I’m really good at coming up with a lot of ideas and I’m quick to start them. But that doesn’t always serve my team and me. What I’ve had to do, is create a place where I can store all of my ideas without losing them. I plan on a quarterly basis and re-evaluate each month. Then I decide what ONE idea we can do this month, and save the others for the next month or the next quarter.

2. Only Start Things You Are Committed to Finishing Now

You have to decide what to start right now. Because I plan on a quarterly basis, I have goals in mind for each month. I determine which ideas align with my goals for the quarter, and we give them deadlines. We only start a project if we can commit to finishing it.

3. Invest in Your own Leadership Abilities

When you’re managing a team, it’s easy to hand off a lot of tasks without explaining the bigger picture or giving a clear scope of responsibility. Instead, make sure that when you hand off a responsibility, there is a measurable attached to it. Once you’ve delegated that task, try to remove yourself as much as possible. You don’t have to do everything!

When you realize that, you’re able to focus on the things that only you can do.

4. Create the Project Plan

Once you commit to a project, you need a plan. From beginning to end, lay out what will happen and when. Think through all the tasks, make sure you’re aligned with the approach, and specify who will do what by when.

5. Batch Work

We are batching and automating all recurring tasks in my business. This is a game changer! Doing this allows you more time and energetic space to focus on your bigger priorities.

6. Scrum Methodology

Use sprints to tackle projects from beginning to end in a very focused manner. This is the Scrum Methodology. Essentially, rather than working on 10 different priorities all at one time, ackle one at a time (or a couple at a time) to make sure everything is getting done.

7. Done is Better than Perfect

You want the best for your business. But when you’re working with team members (or even a solopreneur), you’ll have to see some of the imperfections as room for future growth, rather than getting hung up or falling behind because of small obstacles.

Resources:

• Asana – a project management tool

Let’s Connect

1. Glean from our library of CEO resources at kathrynbinkley.com
2. Connect more with Kathryn on Instagram!

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