Improving workplace efficiency often starts with one skill: prioritization. When everything on your to-do list feels important, it becomes difficult to focus on what will actually move the needle. That kind of overwhelm can lead to missed deadlines, lower productivity, and higher stress.

Effective prioritization helps you manage your time with greater intention. It allows you to step back, assess what matters most, and make decisions that support your goals. Rather than reacting to every request or task, you create a structure that supports progress, not just activity.

7 Ways to Prioritize Like a Pro

Developing a better system for prioritizing tasks doesn’t require an overhaul of your entire routine. Small changes can lead to noticeable improvements in how you manage your workload. The strategies below offer practical ways to focus your time and energy where they matter most.

1. start with a brain dump

One of the most common obstacles to effective prioritization is mental clutter. When tasks, deadlines, and responsibilities are all competing for attention, it becomes difficult to focus on any one thing. A brain dump helps clear that clutter by getting everything out of your head and into one place.

This step isn’t about organizing or assigning importance just yet. It’s about visibility. Take 10 to 15 minutes to list out everything you need to do — emails to follow up on, meetings to prepare for, long-term projects, administrative tasks, even small to-dos you've been postponing. Include both work-related responsibilities and anything personal that might be affecting your mental bandwidth.

There’s no one right tool for this. Choose what works for your style:

• Pen and paper for a quick list
• A notes app or digital document
• A task manager like Todoist, Trello, or Notion

Once everything is in front of you, you can begin to evaluate what actually matters, what’s time-sensitive, and what can wait. This process not only reduces the mental load but creates the foundation for smarter, more intentional prioritization.

2. stop treating everything like it's urgent

When everything feels urgent, it’s easy to slip into constant reaction mode. Emails, last-minute meeting invites, and unexpected requests can dominate the day, leaving little time for focused, meaningful work. Over time, this can lead to exhaustion without a strong sense of accomplishment.

One way to create more clarity is to pause before acting and ask a simple question: Is this truly urgent or just loud? Urgent tasks usually come with a deadline and a consequence for delay. Important tasks, on the other hand, contribute to your goals and long-term success, even if no one is following up on them right away.

A helpful tool for making this distinction is the Eisenhower Matrix, a time management strategy named after former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Known for his ability to focus on high-impact decisions during his military and political career, Eisenhower famously distinguished between tasks that are urgent and those that are important. The matrix built around this idea helps categorize your to-dos into four groups:

• Tasks that are both urgent and important. These need to be addressed as soon as possible.
  
  
• Tasks that are important but not urgent. These should be scheduled and protected on your calendar.
  
  
• Tasks that are urgent but not important. These can often be delegated or addressed quickly without derailing your day.
  
  
• Tasks that are neither urgent nor important. These may be distractions worth letting go of altogether.

Slowing down to make this assessment can prevent you from spending the entire day putting out fires. It helps ensure that your most important work doesn’t fall through the cracks simply because it wasn’t demanding your attention.

3. use the Ivy Lee method

Sometimes the biggest challenge in prioritization isn’t knowing what to do, it’s knowing where to start. The Ivy Lee Method offers a simple and effective way to bring more structure to your day without adding complexity.

This method was developed in the early 1900s when productivity consultant Ivy Lee was hired by Charles Schwab, the president of Bethlehem Steel. Lee’s advice was straightforward: at the end of each workday, write down the six most important tasks you need to accomplish tomorrow. Then, number them in order of importance. The next day, start with the first task and work your way down the list. Only move to the next task when the current one is complete.

While it may sound overly simple, this technique works because it reduces decision fatigue and forces clarity. Rather than spending time each morning deciding what to tackle, you begin the day with a clear plan and a narrow focus. It also reinforces the idea that progress comes from doing the right things consistently, not from trying to do everything at once.

If you find yourself jumping between tasks or ending the day wondering what you actually accomplished, the Ivy Lee Method is a helpful way to bring focus and follow-through back into your routine.

4. schedule your priorities - Don't just list them...

A task list can be a helpful starting point, but without a plan for when you’ll actually complete those tasks, it’s easy for your priorities to take a back seat to whatever feels most urgent in the moment. Time blocking offers a more intentional approach. Instead of simply writing down what you need to do, you assign each item a place on your calendar. This ensures you carve out dedicated time for focused work rather than trying to squeeze it in between meetings or distractions.

Time blocking can feel rigid at first, but it’s a flexible system. It’s not about scheduling every minute of your day. It’s about making sure the things that matter most don’t get sidelined by reactive tasks or unexpected interruptions.

Use a brief daily or weekly planning session to map out your priorities and allocate time for them. A few helpful practices include:

• Look at your task list and select the items that align most closely with your goals or responsibilities. These are the tasks that deserve dedicated time, not leftover time.
  
  
• Give yourself realistic timeframes, building in some buffer if needed. Underestimating time can lead to overscheduling and unnecessary stress.
  
  
• Reserve specific windows for each priority task, just like you would for a meeting. Make these blocks visible on your calendar and treat them as commitments.
  
  
• If you have several small items that require the same kind of focus or energy, batch them together. For example, answering emails, making phone calls, or reviewing documents can be scheduled into one focused block rather than scattered throughout the day.

Building this habit helps shift you from reacting to your day to actively managing it. Over time, your calendar becomes more than a list of obligations; it becomes a tool for protecting time that matters.

5. minimize distractions and guard your time

Even the best prioritization strategy can fall apart if your day is constantly interrupted. Distractions — whether from notifications, multitasking, or unplanned conversations — make it harder to stay focused and follow through on important tasks. Protecting your time requires both planning and boundaries.

Start by identifying your most common distractions. For many people, it’s digital noise: email alerts, messaging apps, open tabs, or the constant temptation to check phones. For others, it may be a steady stream of meetings or quick “do you have a minute?” requests that add up to hours of lost focus.

Once you’ve identified the patterns, take steps to reduce or eliminate them. 

create focus blocks

Set aside specific periods of uninterrupted work time, especially for your most important tasks. Let colleagues know when you’re unavailable or use tools like calendar statuses or “do not disturb” features to minimize interruptions.

turn off non-essential notifications

Email, chat apps, and social media alerts can break concentration even if you don’t respond right away. Consider checking messages at set times instead of constantly monitoring them throughout the day.

limit multitasking

Switching between tasks reduces efficiency and increases mental fatigue. Whenever possible, focus on one thing at a time. If you need to handle multiple responsibilities in a day, group similar tasks together to stay in the same mental mode.

6. learn to say no (Or at least "not now')

It’s easy to lose control of your priorities when you’re always saying yes. A last-minute request, a new project, a quick favor;  individually, these may not seem like much. But over time, they add up and crowd out the work that’s actually aligned with your goals.

The challenge is that many professionals are conditioned to be helpful and responsive. Saying no can feel uncomfortable or even risky. But prioritizing your time doesn’t mean being uncooperative. It means being clear about what you can realistically take on.

• Before agreeing to a new task, pause and assess whether you truly have the capacity to do it well.
• If the timing is off, offer to revisit the request later or suggest another resource.
• Be honest when your schedule is full. A respectful “I’m currently focused on a few time-sensitive projects — could we circle back next week?” is often better received than people expect.

The goal isn’t to decline everything. It’s to be more thoughtful about what you take on, and when. 

7. revisit and recalibrate weekly

No matter how well you prioritize at the start of the week, things change. Deadlines shift. New requests show up. A task that seemed urgent on Monday might lose importance by Friday. That’s why it’s important to build in time to review and adjust your priorities on a regular basis.

A weekly check-in helps you take a step back from the day-to-day and ask whether your time is aligned with what matters most. This doesn't have to be a long or formal process. Just 15 to 20 minutes at the end of the week can help you reflect on how you spent your time and plan more intentionally for the week ahead.

During this review, consider:

• Which tasks moved you closer to your goals?
• What ended up taking more time than expected, and why?
• Were there low-priority tasks that took up too much space?
• Is there anything you can delegate, defer, or drop entirely next week?

This habit not only improves your ability to prioritize — it also helps reduce stress. Instead of carrying a vague sense of unfinished work into the weekend, you leave with a clearer plan and a fresh start.

Efficiency Is About Intentionality, Not Hustle

Working more efficiently doesn’t always mean doing more in less time. Often, it means doing the right things at the right time, and letting go of the rest. Prioritization isn’t just a productivity tactic. It’s a decision-making skill that helps you focus on what matters most, reduce unnecessary stress, and create more meaningful progress in your day-to-day work.

When you partner with Ulliance, our Life Advisor Consultants are always just a phone call away to teach ways to enhance your work/life balance and increase your happiness. The Ulliance Life Advisor Employee Assistance Program can help employees and employers come closer to a state of total well-being.

Investing in the right EAP or Wellness Program to support your employees will help them and help you.  Visit https://ulliance.com/ or call 866-648-8326.

The Ulliance Employee Assistance Program can address the
following issues:
• Stress about work or job performance
• Crisis in the workplace
• Conflict resolution at work or in one’s personal life
• Marital or relationship problems
• Child or elder care concerns
• Financial worries
• Mental health problems
• Alcohol/substance abuse
• Grief
• Interpersonal conflicts
• AND MORE!

References:

How To Improve Task Prioritization Skills; Indeed Career Guide; Indeed
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-improve-task-prioritization

The Ivy Lee Method: The Daily Routine Experts Recommend; Real Simple; Maggie Seaver
https://www.realsimple.com/the-ivy-lee-method-8680870 

The Eisenhower Matrix: How to Prioritize Your To-Do List; Asana; Emily Kramer
https://asana.com/resources/eisenhower-matrix

How to Make the Most of Your To-Do List; TIME; Mandy Oaklander
https://time.com/4323212/to-do-list-efficiency