A Template to Help Prioritize, Organize, and Delegate
I have a confession to make…
I’ve been struggling with an addiction for years and just can’t seem to break it.
It’s kind of embarrassing to say, but I still use pen and paper. Yes, it’s true. I STILL USE PEN AND PAPER!
Now, don’t get me wrong. It’s not like I’m a Luddite or anything. I love technology. I enjoy trying out new apps, gadgets, or processes for being more productive (see 3 Great Tools to Increase Productivity). But I use pen and paper to write my plans for the week, prioritize what’s important, and to remind me what to talk with others about.
There is something gratifying about the feel of a nice pen gliding across the page as you deliberate what to write, thinking thoughts such as, “Is this task still important?” “Who is the best person to get this project done?” or, “Who can I connect with to find a better way to accomplish something?” to name a few. I even used pen and paper to jot my notes for this article!
To help me keep up with everything, I created a simple template that helps me prioritize, organize, and delegate (POD) activity that comes my way each week.
How to Use the Prioritize, Organize, and Delegate Template
The POD template has six main areas. Section 1 feeds into sections 2 and 3; sections 4, 5 and 6 stand on their own.
(1) Up Next: This is where it all starts. As your week progresses, jot down the ideas, tasks, assignments, to-dos, and follow-ups that come your way. These could be from a meeting, hallway conversation, lunch with someone, or even something that came to you during your commute. Just a few words to jog your memory.
(2) Top 3: At the end of each week, review your “Up Next” list and pick only three items from the list that ONLY YOU CAN DO, and that would be categorized as “important / not urgent.” Enter these into the “Top 3” box and cross them out in the “Up Next” box. Examples include preparing for an upcoming meeting, finishing a strategy to move the team forward, or working with a vendor on a new initiative. Spend as much time as you can to bring these activities to closure.
Why just 3? It is better to focus on doing a few things well (and finishing them) rather than a whole lot of things poorly (and never finishing them).
(3) Directs / Manager: This is where you can add the names of your direct reports, manager, or other colleagues you work with regularly. Review the remaining items in the “Up Next” box and see who the best person to talk with will be now that you’ve had a chance to think through the list. You now have the makings of a relevant agenda for your weekly one-on-one meeting with your direct reports and manager. You’ll start noticing that important topics stop dropping through the cracks.
(4) Call / Lunch / Network: This is in the middle of the page as a constant reminder that you shouldn’t operate in a vacuum. It’s easy to become myopic and not look beyond company borders or our own expertise for solutions. Struggling with a challenge or looking for new ideas? Write down who to call or make a lunch appointment with, or which association or industry event might fill that need.
It also provides visibility into whether or not you are connecting with others regularly. If this box is empty week after week, chances are you’re not.
It is better to focus on doing a few things well (and finishing them) rather than a whole lot of things poorly (and never finishing them).
(5) Quick: Have 15 minutes between meetings or while waiting for someone? Take a glance at this box and see what should take just a few minutes to complete. For example, “schedule meeting” or “call someone who is behind on an invoice” are perfect candidates to include in this box and knock out in those spare moments.
(6) Custom / Personal: This is where non-work-related items live. Custom (or whatever you want to call it) could be tasks related to volunteer activity and Personal could include planning a family vacation, making a doctor’s appointment, or dinner reservations.
Rinse and Repeat
The POD list deteriorates as the week progresses, becoming sloppy with strike-throughs and additions. So, at the end of each week, rinse and repeat. Pull out a fresh template and start the week anew reviewing and rewriting your list. Ask yourself, “Is this task still important?” “Who is the best person to get this project done?” “Who can I connect with to find a better way to accomplish something?” You may also ask, “Why has this been on here for so many weeks and what needs to be done to make it go away?”
Sometimes, part of making something go away is deciding to not carry it forward any longer. This weekly review process helps you get rid of the baggage common with standard To-Do lists. If it’s something that you’ve been carrying around for 4-5 months with little progress to show and nobody has asked about it… get rid of it! Clearly, it’s not that important.
This weekly review process helps you get rid of the baggage common with standard To-Do lists.
Also, your Top 3 may not change that much each week. That’s fine, as these may be bigger projects. Just make sure that steady progress is being made, so that eventually you will cross them off and move something else into their place.
Can this be done digitally? Sure. But there’s a big difference between the mindless copy-and-paste of digital, versus the deliberate action of writing and thinking through what moves forward each week. Plus, you will look extra thoughtful leaning back in your chair and tapping a pen against your chin!
PS.
The template is easy enough to make on your own and customize, but you can direct message me if you’d like a copy in MS Word as a starting point.
