Article
How to Handle Competing Priorities
lianedavey.com
Quoted on this wiki
Every place a page here uses this source, in the order the words come in it.
Triage is a concept that comes from medicine, particularly in emergencies or in crowded emergency rooms, where you have to decide who to help first. You’re looking at which people are the sickest, which situations are the most urgent, and where can we help the most. In the workplace, if you’re not working in the hospital, your version of triage is to ask four questions: “How important is this? Does this have significant implications for customers or financial performance? How much is at stake? You can triage based on the importance of each task, determining which ones are more crucial than others.” How urgent is it? Sometimes, something may be less important, but it needs to be done immediately because it’s time-sensitive or it becomes irrelevant. Urgency is another key factor to consider when triaging.
How important is this? Does this have significant implications for customers or financial performance? How much is at stake? You can triage based on the importance of each task, determining which ones are more crucial than others. “How urgent is it? Sometimes, something may be less important, but it needs to be done immediately because it’s time-sensitive or it becomes irrelevant. Urgency is another key factor to consider when triaging.” How unique is it to you? Is this something that only you can do, or could someone else do it while you work on a priority that needs your unique expertise? Again, is it unique to you?
How urgent is it? Sometimes, something may be less important, but it needs to be done immediately because it’s time-sensitive or it becomes irrelevant. Urgency is another key factor to consider when triaging. “How unique is it to you? Is this something that only you can do, or could someone else do it while you work on a priority that needs your unique expertise? Again, is it unique to you?” How essential is the piece of the task that you’re thinking about? As you triage, you may find that only a small piece is important, urgent, and needs your expertise. In such situations, prioritize that piece and delegate other aspects that can be done later or by someone else.
Let me start by sharing some of the things I’ve seen as decision criteria. “Jumping to the most recent email in your inbox or neglecting earlier ones” Prioritizing tasks based on who is the most demanding or intimidating rather than who is empathetic and kind
Jumping to the most recent email in your inbox or neglecting earlier ones “Prioritizing tasks based on who is the most demanding or intimidating rather than who is empathetic and kind” Doing tasks for those you personally prefer or opting for the easiest work
Prioritizing tasks based on who is the most demanding or intimidating rather than who is empathetic and kind “Doing tasks for those you personally prefer or opting for the easiest work” None of these are good ways to deal with competing priorities.