When your task list becomes too long and neglected and reads like a list of forgotten dreams, or you are regularly swamped with new ideas, resist the urge to dabble. Dabbling in a few things will only dilute your focus and energy.
So, how do you choose which projects to take on? Going with your gut is okay for some things, but as humans, we tend to grossly overestimate (men) or underestimate (women) our capabilities. It turns out; we are not as objective as we like to think.
Using a tool to provide some objectivity and focus on the tasks and great ideas you are drowning yourself in will help.
Add a little spice.
Here are five criteria you can use to filter the worthiness of your ideas. Use a numeric scale, 0-4 for example, to rate the low and high probability of each element for every project you are considering.
Spice
- Speed. How quickly can you implement this task or idea?
- Profitable. How profitable with this task or idea be to your bottom line or important relationships?
- Impact. How much impact will finishing this task or idea have on your greater goals and values?
- Client-focused. How closely associated with delivering excellence to your client is this task or idea?
- Ease. How easy, relative to everything else on your plate, is this task or idea to accomplish?
You could weigh the criteria that are more relevant to your situation, but there will always be some subjectivity when answering these questions. By and large running your big ideas or daily to-dos through this lens will clearly define what is best to focus your energy and attention upon.
Also published on Medium.