Recent changes at work brought several new responsibilities and projects directly to my work queue. I struggled for about a week with the new influx of work as I had to determine priorities and where projects were in their progress. Here are some things I did to figure things out and prioritize my rapidly growing work queue:
- Take an index of all work to be completed
- Find out all previous set due dates and milestones
- Create a timeline including all projects and tasks both new and old
- Block out time everyday to tackle a specific project and take no interruptions (barring emergencies)
- Complete milestones and projects and move on to the next
By taking this initiative I am able to move week to week with fewer and fewer projects on my plate rather than the same number of projects that are “just a bit closer.” I recommend this approach if you’re having a hard time handling a large work queue. You may find as you complete tasks that your sanity will come back to you.
