Focusing on the right things

As leaders, we are all focused. Focused on the successes and shortcomings of our organizations, focused on our employees and, hopefully, focused on our own families and health.

But are we focusing on too many things? An article from Business News Daily says “smart leadership is about making the most of your work hours by learning to delegate, prioritize and simplify.”

Given this definition of smart leadership, are we focusing on the right things in the right order? In other words, do we prioritize our demands correctly?

A Lifehack article written by Joel Falconer describes two approaches to prioritization. First, tackling the biggest tasks first and getting them out of the way. And approach No. 2, tackling the tasks you can easily get done quickly. He explains:

“The thing with prioritization is that knowing when to do what relies very much on you and the way you work. Some people need to get some small work done to find a sense of accomplishment and clarity that allows them to focus on and tackle bigger items. Others need to deal with the big tasks or they’ll get caught up in the busywork of the day and never move on …”