If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by your to-do list, you’re not alone. As a result of today’s always-on culture, it’s easy to overcommit. Moreover, anticipatory stress and anticipatory fatigue can be caused by constantly thinking about our to-do lists.
Here’s the thing, though. In most cases, the problem isn’t knowing what to do; it’s figuring out what to do first.
That’s where (re-)prioritization comes in. When it comes to prioritizing, you don’t just do it once and forget about it. Life throws unexpected curveballs, goals change, workload grows, and priorities shift. As such, the ability to regularly reprioritize ensures that you focus on the right things at the right time, rather than wasting time on low-value tasks.
In this post, we’ll discuss ways to re-prioritize effectively, tools to help you get started, and strategies for adjusting when priorities change.
Why Re-Prioritization Matters
Before we can understand why re-prioritization is necessary, we must discuss its importance.
- Life is dynamic. There are always new projects to work on, deadlines to meet, and personal obligations to fulfill. A week ago, something that was important may no longer be relevant.
- Not all tasks have equal impact. While some tasks are helpful to your goals, others just occupy your time.
- Energy is limited. During a typical day, you may only be able to focus for 2–4 hours at a time. The more time you waste on low-priority work, the harder it will be to make progress.
In short? Being productive doesn’t mean doing everything; it means doing the right things. In other words, it’s about timing your actions correctly.
Step 1: Reconnect with Your Big Picture
Before you can decide what’s important today, you need to know your long-term goals. Otherwise, you’ll prioritize based on urgency (what’s loudest) instead of importance (what matters most).
You might find it helpful to ask yourself these questions;
- What are my top 3 goals for this quarter?
- Do these goals align with today’s tasks?
- If I only accomplished one thing this week, what would make the biggest difference?
By zooming out, you are acting as a compass. Without it, prioritization becomes reactive rather than strategic.
Step 2: Do a Brain Dump
When you’re overwhelmed, your brain feels like a cluttered junk drawer. When you do a brain dump, though, you clear your mind and get a clearer view of your tasks.
From large projects to small errands, write down everything you have on your mind. It’s too early to judge or organize. For now, simply get everything out of your head and onto paper (or a digital tool).
It’s only after you see the full picture that you can begin to sort out what’s truly important.
Step 3: Use a Prioritization Framework
Using frameworks helps you recognize that not every task carries the same level of importance. A few tried-and-true methods are listed below;
Eisenhower Matrix
Divide tasks into four categories;
- Urgent + Important → Do now
- Important but Not Urgent → Schedule
- Urgent but Not Important → Delegate
- Neither → Eliminate
By doing this, you will be able to cut through the noise and focus on the most important things.
ABCDE Method
You can assign a letter to each task as follows;
- A: Must-do (serious consequences if ignored).
- B: Should-do (minor consequences if ignored).
- C: Nice-to-do (no consequences if ignored).
- D: Delegate
- E: Eliminate
Using this ranking, you can move “A” tasks to the top without feeling guilty about skipping “C” ones.
80/20 Rule (Pareto Principle)
What 20% of tasks will produce 80% of the results? Those must be highlighted, and the rest should be deprioritized.
Step 4: Reorder by Context and Energy
In addition to ranking tasks, you also need to consider timing and energy. When you have a high-priority task that requires deep focus, it’s best not to schedule it at 4 p.m. when you’re already drained.
As such, consider these questions;
- When am I most focused? → Schedule deep work tasks here.
- Which tasks require collaboration? → Align them with team availability.
- Which tasks can I batch? → Group similar tasks for efficiency.
By doing this, you avoid putting the right tasks in the wrong slots.
Step 5: Identify the “One Thing”
If you still feel overwhelmed by the list, break it down further by asking;
If I could only do one task today, which would make the biggest impact?
This is your anchor. Despite any delays, completing that one task guarantees progress.
Step 6: Build Flexibility Into Your Plan
Priorities change frequently — sometimes daily. Whether it’s a client emergency, a sudden opportunity, or personal obligations, your day can be rearranged in an instant. That’s why rigid schedules don’t work.
Rather than using a static list of tasks, treat it as a living document. You should review it every day (or even at midday) and adjust it as needed. It’s like steering a ship: you may need to make course corrections frequently, but the destination should remain the same.
Step 7: Eliminate or Delegate Aggressively
The goal of re-prioritization isn’t just to shuffle tasks around; it’s also to remove the ones that aren’t needed.
- Eliminate. You should be ruthless when it comes to tasks that don’t serve your goals. Don’t assume something is worthy of your time just because it’s on your list.
- Delegate. If someone else can do it 80% as well as you, delegate it. As a result, you can focus on higher-value tasks.
As you remove tasks, more meaningful priorities become available.
Step 8: Use Tools to Stay Organized
Even though pen and paper work fine, digital tools make re-prioritizing easier — especially when tasks shift frequently. Among the most popular options are;
- Calendar. For scheduling purposes, the app offers features such as “Find a Time” and “Round Robin”. Additionally, it automatically recognizes time zones.
- Trello/Asana. These tools are excellent for managing tasks visually and facilitating team collaboration.
- Todoist. An easy-to-use task tracking system with priority labels.
- Notion. Workflows can be customized with this flexible system.
- Google Calendar. This is an excellent tool for scheduling priorities based on their importance.
Ultimately, what matters most is how consistently you update the tool.
Step 9: Re-Prioritize Weekly (and Daily)
As with brushing your teeth, prioritization works best when it becomes a habit.
- Weekly review. Keep an eye on deadlines, projects, and commitments. For the week, decide what matters most.
- Daily check-in. Identify your top three tasks for the day each morning (or the night before). As a result, you will remain grounded and adaptable.
Often, reprioritizing can reduce the feeling of overwhelm.
Step 10: Beware of Common Pitfalls
No matter how good your system is, you can still slip up. So, here are some traps to watch out for;
- Everything feels urgent. Distinguish urgency from importance using frameworks.
- Over-prioritizing. There’s no such thing as priorities if you have 10 “top” tasks on your list.
- Shiny object syndrome. The fact that something new appears doesn’t necessarily mean it deserves immediate attention.
- Neglecting self-care. Your energy fuels productivity. As such, sleep, exercise, and breaks should not be sacrificed to accomplish more.
Real-Life Example: Re-Prioritizing on the Fly
Imagine you’re working on a client proposal (important, not urgent) when you receive an email: the deadline has been moved up by two days. Suddenly, the proposal becomes urgent and essential out of nowhere.
With the Eisenhower Matrix, you would move the proposal to the top and reschedule less critical tasks, like cleaning up your inbox. When you revisit your priorities in real time, you can adapt without losing momentum.
Final Thought: Prioritization Is a Muscle
Re-prioritization isn’t a one-time trick — it’s an ongoing practice. As you do it more often, it becomes easier to let go of the rest and focus on what matters most.
With a focus on your goals, frameworks to rank tasks, and flexibility as life changes, prioritization becomes a source of clarity, rather than a stressor.
At the end of the day, productivity isn’t about checking every box on your to-do list. It’s all about putting the right items at the top.
FAQs
How often should I re-prioritize my tasks?
On a daily and weekly basis. You can stay on track with long-term goals by conducting weekly reviews, while you can adapt to changes by making daily adjustments.
What if everything on my list feels important?
The Eisenhower Matrix or ABCDE Method can be used for force ranking. Ask: What is the consequence of not doing this right now?
How do I deal with unexpected urgent tasks?
You should change priorities in real time, but keep your most important task protected at all times. Whenever everything suddenly becomes urgent, revisit your planning habits — you may be leaving too much for the last minute.
Is it better to use paper or digital tools for prioritization?
Either works. When you need flexibility, reminders, or collaboration, paper excels; digital tools excel when you need simplicity and focus.
How do I avoid feeling guilty about dropping tasks?
A key component of effective prioritization is eliminating and delegating. When you refuse low-value work, you are saying yes to what is truly important.
Featured Image Credit: Photo by Luke Webb; Pexels
Deanna Ritchie
Editor-in-Chief at Calendar. Former Editor-in-Chief and writer at Startup Grind. Freelance editor at Entrepreneur.com. Deanna loves to help build startups, and guide them to discover the business value of their online content and social media marketing.