You may feel like you just have too much to juggle, and when you’re feeling that way, it can be hard to prioritize what to do first, what to put on the back burner, and what to ax completely. When we’re overwhelmed, it can feel like everything is at the same level of priority, which, in reality, is seldom true. It’s worth your time to take a moment, step back, and assess what you have on your plate and then be purposeful about what you choose to accomplish. Here are a few questions to ask about each task to help you decide whether they make the cut:

Does this task support my goals, either personally or professionally? If a task isn’t in support of you or your goals, then it’s worth giving it a cold, hard look and seeing whether it can be deferred until a later date or deleted completely.

Can this task be combined with another? A basic tenet of organizing and productivity is to keep like things together – and this is equally true both for our physical stuff and our tasks. Sometimes when we look at our tasks, we may be able to streamline our to-do’s by combining several similar tasks together. See what can be grouped or combined from your to-do list and you may be able to shrink your list a bit.

Can someone else do this task? If at all possible, see if other people in your life or in your work can share a task with you. In fact, a given task may be better suited to someone else than to you, especially if you find yourself never getting to completion.

Am I required to do this task? Bummer alert: sometimes, you just gotta do it. We all have tasks that we simply must do. Allot appropriate time in your schedule for the must-complete tasks from your list.

These are just some of the ways to reduce the volume of tasks on your to-do list. Once your list is whittled down a bit, then prioritizing which tasks get completed first gets a bit easier.

What are some of your ideas for how you can take the shrinking gun to your to-do list? Sound off in the comments below.

If you’re wondering how to implement these strategies, we’d be happy to chat with you. Contact us for a complimentary strategy session by going to http://www.customlivingsolutions.com/advice

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