How To Prioritize Your Work

Being able to prioritize your work can help you become more successful and productive with your work. This is why it’s important to know how to prioritize your work.

If you are looking to improve your prioritization skills, we’ll go over how to prioritize your work, why employers ask about your prioritizing skills, and how to answer this interview question.

Key Takeaways:

• Interviewers ask this because knowing how you choose to prioritize work will give them valuable information about your personality, stress management, and knowledge of the position or field.

• Creating a master list from most important to least important can help prioritize what needs to get done first.

• You should always work to make the next day easier for yourself.

How to prioritize your work

To prioritize your work, you should first determine which tasks are the most important and then choose a prioritization method that works best for you. Here are some more ways to prioritize your work to be efficient and productive:

1. Determine which tasks are the most important. You will want to know exactly what tasks to do and how many need to get done. Before prioritizing, it helps to write everything down. By making this list physical, you have more of a real connection with the work you need to do. Don’t worry about prioritizing yet, that comes next. At this point, it is more important that you list everything so that you can prioritize effectively.

2. Choose a prioritization method. There are several different prioritization methods. Each one basically revolves around separating tasks based on urgency, importance, and difficulty. Some popular methods include:

   • Eisenhower Matrix. This is a method made famous by World War II general and U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower. With the Eisenhower method, you create a 2×2 grid, with your rows defined as “important” and “not important”, and your columns defined as “urgent” and “not urgent”. The parameters create four quadrants that are “important and urgent”, “important but not urgent”, “not important, but urgent”, and “not important and not urgent.”

     The idea is that items that are “important and urgent” must get done first, while “important but not urgent” items can be planned for the future. If possible “not important but urgent” tasks can be delegated, or at least accomplished after “important and urgent” tasks, while “not important and not urgent” can be saved for last or ignored entirely.

   • Eat the frog. The “eat the frog” method means to get the most challenging task done first. Usually, this task is challenging because it is important or urgent. Getting it out of the way as soon as possible to free up the rest of your day from the first task weighing on your mind.

     Additionally, by completing a meaningful piece of work at the start of the day, you give your emotions a boost of motivation because you have proven your capabilities to yourself.

   • The ABCDE method. The ABCDE method is like an extension of the master list of tasks. You take your master list and then you break it down into groups A through E, based on level of importance and urgency. Then you further break down each group in a numbered list of prioritized tasks.

     For example, let’s say five of your most important tasks go into Group A. Then in Group A you list those tasks one through five to determine the level of importance.

   There are several other methods you can use as well. Do a little research and pick the one that is best for your situation.

3. Schedule tasks on your calendar appropriately. Once you have prioritized tasks, then the time comes to schedule them. Make sure to give yourself a realistic amount of time to accomplish each task. Additionally, if you are prioritizing multiple tasks in a day, make sure to schedule a buffer between tasks that gives you time to adequately switch over.

4. Set boundaries. Once you have all of your tasks and projects on your calendar, it’s important to set boundaries with your coworkers. They may want to talk about non-work related things throughout the day which can make you stray from your schedule. Setting boundaries can also help you from taking on other projects that can affect your prioritized tasks.

5. Account for distractions. Even with setting boundaries with your coworkers, distractions can still happen. There may also be times when you have to get up to take a break to help you get refocused. Scheduling breaks throughout the day can help you recharge and refocus on your tasks at hand.

6. Delegate tasks when needed. There may come a time when you won’t be able to handle all the tasks on your plate, which is why delegating can help you out. Decide which tasks you are able to prioritize during your work day and if anything doesn’t fit, ask a coworker to help you out. This will help you keep your focus on the tasks that need your immediate attention.

7. Evaluate progress. Whether you are prioritizing tasks for the day, the week, the month, or several months, it is important to take time to assess your progress. Give yourself credit for your effort and progress, but also be mindful of how your work is reflected in your scheduling.

Why do employers ask about work prioritization?

Employers ask about work prioritization because they want to determine if you’ll be a good fit for the job. Fortunately, the question of how you prioritize your work will inform them of several important details about you. These include:

• Time management. If you know how to prioritize your work properly, you’ll be able to meet deadlines and complete all of your assigned tasks during a shift.

  When you tell a potential employer about how you prioritize your work, they’ll be able to see if you have time management skills.

• Stress management. Having dozens of tasks to address in a fast-paced work environment can really pile on the pressure.

  With that in mind, your confidence in explaining how you prioritize tasks will reassure the potential employer that you can handle high-stress situations and perform under pressure.

• Organizational skills. The way you address workplace prioritization will reveal how organized you are. Employers want to know if you can maintain an organized work method and workspace.

• Work-life balance. Your potential employer will want to know how you balance your work with your life outside of work. After all, no company wants to deal with someone who always brings drama or excuses for not getting things done.

• Industry knowledge. By asking what you prioritize, employers will get an idea of how experienced you are with your field and industry standards.

  Maybe the law requires a certain task to be performed in a specific order, and if you have the proper experience, you would know that.

• Core values. Overall, by getting an idea of how you prioritize your work, employers will begin to understand your core values and general work ethic. This will give them an idea of how compatible you are with the company’s culture.

Example answers for the “How do you prioritize your work?” question

When you know what an employer wants to hear during the interview and are confident in your ability to conform to their standards, you can begin to formulate potential answers.

Remember to provide specific examples and focus on centering those examples around the key details your potential employer is looking for.

1. Prioritizing work by scheduling, charts, and lists example answer. One of the best ways to show time management and organizational skills is to provide examples of how you maintain and use schedules, charts, and lists.

   Maybe you created an hourly schedule to parcel out your time most efficiently when you worked at your previous position. Or perhaps you always listed your tasks in order from most urgent and important to least.

   These kinds of examples will make it evident that you know how to prioritize tasks in the workplace.

   “When I worked at Coffee Inc. I often met with my manager at the beginning of a shift and took the time to record an hourly schedule for my tasks.

   My manager would input any other tasks that needed to be completed during that shift, and I’d be sure to bump up the priority of urgent tasks when needed. This time chart allowed me to stay focused and complete all of my tasks in an efficient and timely manner.”

2. Prioritizing work by handling “curveballs” example answer. There’s no question that in-the-moment workplace prioritization can be stressful. That being said, every employer will want to know that you can be quick on your feet when deciding whether or not one task is more urgent than another.

   Be aware of industry standards, as well as state and federal laws, so you can give an example of a time you made the right decision to prioritize one task over another.

   “When I worked for my last group home, there was one day when I realized it was time to administer meds while I was preparing dinner. My co-worker, who usually handled the meds at 5 p.m., was sick, so I had been trying to maintain my clients’ normal schedules.

   As I am aware of the legal and medical importance of administering meds at the correct time, I immediately stopped what I was doing and prepared the medications for my clients. I continued dinner afterward, of course, but I made sure to prioritize a more urgent task first.”

3. Experience with deadlines example answer. No company wants to stress about the possibility that their employees won’t submit work on time.

   Therefore, you can express your prioritization skills by giving examples of your experience meeting deadlines. Discuss how you communicate with team members, as well as how you schedule and divide work.

   “When my team and I had to complete a PowerPoint about pesticides and wildlife management, I made sure to prioritize our deadlines. Initially, we all met and discussed when certain pieces of the project would be due.

   I completed my research for a specific date and my PowerPoint slides for another. This allowed me to stay on task and finish my portion of the project a few days early.”

4. Explain how you work for tomorrow example answer. In many ways, the way in which you “work for tomorrow” will tell your employer a lot about your prioritization and work-life balance.

   For instance, when you complete certain tasks today, instead of procrastinating, you’re more productive and actively helping to improve the workplace for tomorrow.

   Think about it, how many times have you blamed the people working the shift before you for uncompleted tasks?

   Don’t be like that guy on the first shift who never gets anything done. Instead, explain to your potential employer how you refuse to do the bare minimum, and work to improve the workplace for tomorrow.

   “When I worked at my previous position, I had been assigned to edit a team member’s notes before moving forward with our project. While I hadn’t been given a solid deadline, I felt it was important to prioritize this work so the project would move forward.

   After all, my team was relying on me, and I wanted to have everything in order for our next meeting. At the meeting, they were all surprised that I’d completed the editing process so quickly and efficiently.”

5. Prioritizing tasks by importance example answer. Showing the hiring manager that you prioritize the most important tasks first can help show them your time management skills. Use an example from your past to show your ability to prioritize tasks.

   “When I was a manager at Kirby’s Gas Station, I always listed my tasks in order of importance and urgency as soon as I clocked in.

   This method regularly allowed me to complete tasks on time, but when there was an urgent emergency that required my attention, such as a gas spill or customer request, I was sure to stop what I was doing and address that first.

   Overall, I found that because I understood industry standards and the expectations of my role, I was able to properly manage my priorities in the workplace.”

6. Prioritizing work to meet a deadline example answer. This is a great way to show a potential employer that you are able to meet deadlines even if things come up that may affect that deadline.

   “When I was renovating an older house for a client, I had been trying to open the wall between the kitchen and dining room for them. When I discovered that the wall was load-bearing, I immediately stopped what I was doing and contacted the client.

   They gave me the okay to continue with the project, so I worked a few extra hours that day in order to make my work the next day easier and stick to the client’s deadline.”

Tips for prioritizing your work

When prioritizing your work, you should be aware of your most productive hours and know which tasks you’re good at. Here are a few more tips for how you might be able to improve your prioritization:

• Be aware of your most productive hours at work, and work on important tasks during that time.

• Know which tasks you’re good at and which ones you struggle with.

• Set daily, weekly, and monthly goals.

• Use a flowchart to prioritize important tasks.

• Research industry rules and regulations so you can better understand the urgency and processes of certain tasks.

• Think about the “sunk cost fallacy” (i.e., when you receive new information or realize you’re doing something incorrectly, be willing to change your task or re-prioritize)

• Work in a way that will make tomorrow easier for you or your co-workers.

Overall, when you take a deep breath and momentarily analyze all of your tasks, you’ll stand a much better chance of prioritizing them properly.

Prioritizing work FAQs

1. What is the best way to prioritize work?

   The best way to prioritize work is the one that is most appropriate for your needs. In general, however, it is good to break up tasks by their level of importance, urgency, and difficulty. With these characteristics in mind, you can begin to see which tasks need your attention at which time.

2. What are three ways to prioritize?

   Three ways to prioritize are the Eisenhower method, the “eat the frog” method, and the ABCDE method. Each method is a different take on arranging tasks based on their importance, urgency, and difficulty. The Eisenhower method uses a 2×2 grid based on important/not important and urgent/not urgent qualifiers.

   The “eat the frog” method suggests you get the most challenging (and likely, the most important) task out of the way first. The ABCDE method asks you to break up tasks into groups based on level of importance and urgency, then subdivide those groups even further.

3. How do you answer “How do you prioritize your work?”

   To answer “How do you prioritize your work?”:

   • Highlight your method

   • Provide a specific example

   • Show them your thought process

   • Explain the results of your actions

4. How can I improve my prioritization skills?

   To improve your prioritization skills, always practice and persist. It may not be easy for you at first, but it is important that you stick with your attempts to prioritize. Don’t be afraid to change your methods, however, don’t give up on tasks or prioritizing. Make adjustments when necessary and evaluate yourself periodically.

5. What is prioritizing?

   Prioritizing means deciding what order to do your tasks based on their importance or urgency to do them. Prioritizing tasks helps you organize your time better and more efficiently. Having prioritizing skills can help you accomplish more work in less time and be more productive.

References

1. Social Security Administration – Developing Strong Time Management

2. Harvard Business Review – How to Prioritize Your Work When Your Manager Doesn’t

Author

Jack Flynn

Jack Flynn is a writer for Zippia. In his professional career he’s written over 100 research papers, articles and blog posts. Some of his most popular published works include his writing about economic terms and research into job classifications. Jack received his BS from Hampshire College.