How to Prioritize Tasks for Multiple Projects

How I Track 10+ Projects at Once as a Program Manager at Amazon It’s a question I get a lot: How do you stay on top of everything without letting something slip? Different teams. Different timelines. Different deliverables. And a lot of noise. Here’s how I keep it all moving…and still make it home for dinner: 1/ I use one central tracking system for everything ↳ One doc, one view. ↳ If it’s not in the tracker, it doesn’t exist. ↳ I update it daily and keep it brutally simple. 2/ I start every week with a 15-minute self check-in ↳ What’s behind? What’s on track? What’s at risk? ↳ If I don’t do this Monday morning, the week runs me instead of the other way around. 3/ I color-code by priority and risk ↳ Green means I don’t need to touch it. ↳ Yellow means it needs a check-in. ↳ Red means I need to escalate or unblock. 4/ I follow up with context, not just reminders ↳ “Just checking in” turns into “We need this by Friday to keep X on track.” ↳ People respond to clarity, not pressure. 5/ I keep a running weekly update for leadership ↳ 3 bullets: what moved, what’s stuck, and what I need help with. ↳ It keeps everyone informed without another meeting. Managing 10+ projects isn’t about multitasking. It’s about systems, focus, and momentum. You don’t need to know everything. You just need to know where to look…and what to move next. How do you track your priorities without getting overwhelmed?

I've managed 5 high-performing product marketing teams at startups and public companies, and there are 2 commonalities I've noticed at each: 1) it's easy for PMMs to get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of tasks on their plates, and 2) teams are rarely recognized for their true effort or impact by upper management. That's why I want to share my prioritization matrix 👇 It’s been a game-changer in how my teams approach projects and focus on what truly drives results. I’m curious—does this framework resonate with your approach to prioritizing tasks? Here's the concept: Rack up the wins by focusing on projects that offer high visibility and impact for lower effort and avoid those that drain your energy and don’t align with company goals. (Note: you could replace visibility with impact on this scale, but it's important that what you're working on is actually on the radar of those in upper management). Here’s how to prioritize: Quick Wins: These are the golden opportunities! High visibility, low difficulty — they bring great returns with minimal effort. Look for ways to get a few of these in your quarter. Strategic Initiatives: Aim for ONE strategic initiative per quarter. These are high-visibility, high-difficulty tasks that are aligned with your long-term goals. Go deep, plan ahead, and focus on the impact. You will be the most proud of these, but you need to be realistic about them. Routine Tasks: You’ve got to keep up with these, but don't let them consume too much of your time. Find a system to manage them efficiently. Avoid: Stay clear of high-difficulty, low-visibility tasks. These projects often don't yield the results you need, and they’re energy-draining. They don't align with your values or long-term success. 💡 Action Step: Review your current or upcoming projects. Classify them into high or low reward, and high or low effort. What projects are you spending too much time on that aren’t worth the effort? Time to realign and focus on what truly matters! #Productivity #TimeManagement #Prioritization #WorkSmart #StrategicFocus #CareerGrowth #Leadership How do you manage your / your team’s workload?

🚨 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲: 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝗸 (𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁) 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘀. When 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 feels urgent, nothing moves forward with clarity or logic. That’s why strong programs and PMOs anchor around a 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝘂𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗰, built early, not reactively. A clear rubric gives you: ✅ Consistency in chaos ✅ Fact-based decision-making ✅ Faster, defensible tradeoffs when pressure hits Here’s how to build one that sticks 📈 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁, 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. • Does it affect multiple business units? • Can you quantify the financial or operational impact? • Is there a feasible workaround?    ♻️ 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆. 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗼𝗻𝗲-𝗮𝗻𝗱-𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲. • When markets shift, priorities shift. • When new information is presented, reassess the severity. • Force rank within each prioritization level.    ⚓ 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘀. 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁. • Map upstream/downstream impacts. • Recommend tradeoffs, not just surface issues. • Document the decision 𝘢𝘯𝘥 the why behind it.    Projects don’t fail because teams don’t care. They fail because they care about 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 equally. Build your rubric. Anchor your focus. Deliver with purpose. 👉 If your projects feel like they’re spinning, start by redefining what truly matters. Build your prioritization rubric before you need it.

Effectively multitasking as an Executive Assistant (EA) requires a mix of strategy, systems, and mindset. Here’s a few things I have learned over the years that help me juggle multiple tasks without dropping the ball: ✅ 1. Prioritize Ruthlessly Use the Eisenhower Matrix: Urgent vs. Important helps separate the critical from the noise. Ask “What moves the needle for my executive today?” and focus on that first. 🧠 2. Master Context Switching Group similar tasks (e.g., calendar work, travel booking, expense reports). Use the “batching” method: Handle emails at set times, do calls in a block, etc. Minimize distractions by silencing notifications while focusing on one task. 🗂️ 3. Leverage Tools Use tools like Outlook rules, shortcuts or any other tools that are available to you. Keyboard shortcuts = your best friend. 📅 4. Time Block Your Day Block time for deep work (e.g., creating board decks). Have built-in flex time for urgent requests and fire drills. 🛑 5. Know When to Say No or Delegate Be protective of your time. Delegate or delay non-urgent low-priority items when needed. 🧭 6. Stay Aligned with Your Executive Daily or weekly syncs ensure you're both focused on the right things. Understand their top priorities, working style, and communication preferences. 📋 7. Keep a Live “Command Center” Maintain a master task list (digital or paper) updated in real time. Review and adjust it throughout the day. 🧘♀️ 8. Stay Calm Under Pressure Multitasking isn’t doing everything at once—it’s managing shifting priorities with composure. Take short breaks to reset and stay mentally sharp. To my fellow EAs ... anything you would like to add? Let's keep the conversation going.

Here's a thought experiment: Could you improve your productivity simply by applying the principles of software development to your desk job? Turns out people have actually been trying this, and it works. Cal Newport is the author of many bestselling books including "Slow Productivity" and is a professor at Georgetown. For anyone looking to be more efficient at work, he proposed this simple process: • Create a shared document of your workload • At the top there is a list of things you're actively working on right now - only 2-3 items max • Underneath there is a queue of other projects in your backlog which gets prioritised once a week • When someone comes to request your time to work on something new, you point them to the shared doc and invite them to add their project to the queue • They can check back in and see when their project moves up the list towards being active - no point chasing you or asking for status updates • It manages expectations and tradeoffs - when someone senior prioritises their project over others, it forces a conversation about what needs to be deprioritised to make space for it It shouldn't be a surprise that this works; software developers have been using this method in scrum teams for over a decade in order to ship the products we use everyday. Three lessons: 1. By working on fewer things at once, you actually boost your productivity 2. By forcing yourself and others to manage tradeoffs, you focus your attention on the most important tasks 3. You'll notice that the "not important, not urgent" tasks start to fall out of your workload, making you more effective at your role Do you use something like this to manage your workload?

Unclear and conflicting priorities can disrupt your timeline and cause product delays. If you want to do everything at once, you won’t be able to do anything. Instead, focus on the most critical items and add everything else in the backlog to consider later. There are many prioritization frameworks available to help you. Pick one of the frameworks, define your criteria, and score and rank all the items. Let’s dive in, 1. MoSCoW Method The MoSCoW method helps you categorize tasks into Must Have, Should Have, Could Have, and Won’t Have. This framework is crucial because it ensures you focus on the most critical features first. To use this method, list all your tasks and classify them into these four categories to prioritize essential features and address less critical ones later. 2. RICE Scoring Model The RICE model evaluates tasks based on Reach, Impact, Confidence, and Effort. (Reach * Impact * Confidence) / Effort = RICE Score List all the features and assign scores to each criterion, then calculate the RICE score to rank them. This method is effective because it quantifies the potential value (impact) and effort required for each feature. 3. Kano Model The Kano model differentiates between basic features, performance features, and delighters. Researcher Noraki Kano developed it to help product managers prioritize features and updates based on customer needs. This framework is important because it helps you understand what features will meet basic user needs and which ones will exceed expectations. 4. Value vs. Effort Matrix The Value vs. Effort Matrix helps you plot features on a 2x2 grid based on their value and the effort required. This visualization makes it easy to identify high-value, low-effort items. Plot each feature on the matrix and focus on those in the high-value, low-effort quadrant. This ensures that you’re investing your resources in the most efficient way possible. 5. Weighted Scoring Weighted Scoring involves assigning weights to different criteria based on their importance and scoring each feature accordingly. Define your criteria, assign weights, and score each feature to prioritize those that score the highest. 6. Cost of Delay The cost of Delay evaluates the economic impact of delaying each feature. This approach helps you prioritize features that, if delayed, would result in significant financial loss. Calculate the cost of delay for each feature and prioritize those with the highest cost to minimize financial impact. 7. Opportunity Scoring Opportunity Scoring focuses on identifying opportunities based on customer needs and the difficulty of meeting those needs. By following these frameworks, you’ll be well on your way to effective prioritization in product development. Work on the highest priority items and avoid spending efforts on less important work. This will help you stay focused, avoid unnecessary work, and ensure timely product launches.

In a small company, it can feel like every project is the most important one. Here is how to prioritize when everything feels urgent: 1. 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀: Start by identifying which projects directly contribute to the company’s strategic objectives. If it doesn’t enable business growth, it’s not a top priority. 2. 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝘃𝘀. 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁: Use an impact-effort matrix to evaluate each project’s potential value versus the resources required. Prioritize high-impact, low-effort projects to maximize your contributions and quickly demonstrate the value of the data projects. 3. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗨𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆: Understand the timeline and urgency of your main stakeholders. Balance stakeholder needs with the overall strategy and your available resources. Sometimes, saying “no” or “not yet” is your best move. 4. 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘀: Identify projects that can deliver quick, measurable results. Quick wins build trust and buy-in, making it easier to tackle more complex projects later on. 5. 𝗥𝗲𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆: Priorities can shift rapidly in a small company so regularly reassess your project list. Staying agile and adaptable ensures you’re always focused on what matters most as the business changes. In a small company, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the large number of requests. But by aligning with business goals, focusing on impact, and staying adaptable, you can make sure your efforts are always driving the company forward. How do you prioritize your data projects when everything feels urgent? ---------------- ♻️ Share if you find this post useful ➕ Follow for more daily insights on how to grow your career in the data field #dataanalytics #datascience #priotization #startups #smallcompanies

Yesterday I posted about ways to help you work through your task list, but how do you know which order to do your tasks in? The first thing I do is create a to-do list. Start by listing all the tasks you need to complete. Having a clear view of your tasks is the first step in choosing what order to do them in. After creating my list, I then use a great tool called the Eisenhower Matrix that helps me prioritise tasks by how urgent and important they are. If you search online you can see how to draw the matrix, it's a simple diagram that allows you to put tasks into 4 categories: ⚠ Urgent and Important: These are top priority tasks that require immediate attention, like deadlines or emergencies. 💡 Important but Not Urgent: These tasks are significant but don't require immediate action. They are often related to long-term goals, planning, and personal growth. 😵 Urgent but Not Important: These tasks demand immediate attention but may not contribute significantly to your long-term goals. They can include interruptions or distractions. These are some of the worst types of tasks for getting in your way of achieving your goals. 😴 Neither Urgent nor Important: These are tasks that can be put on the back burner or delegated because they have minimal impact on your goals. Each of the quadrants on the diagram is associated with an action: ✔ Urgent and important tasks are labelled as "Do First". Get them put into your diary to do immediately. ✔ Important but not urgent tasks should be labelled as "Schedule" (and don't forget to schedule them!). ✖ Urgent but not important tasks should be labelled as "Delegate", or in some cases you may just want to push back and say "no". If it's not important, does it actually need to be done? ❌ Neither urgent nor important tasks should be tagged as "Don't Do" and take them off your list! See, we're getting rid of tasks already and we haven't even started doing them, whoop whoop! There are a few other things I consider when looking at my tasks: ❓ Consider Deadlines. If you have looming deadlines, they should often take precedence. But don't let a task's urgency overshadow its importance. Sometimes, long-term projects need attention even if there's no immediate deadline. ❓ Evaluate Impact and Consequences. Think about the potential impact each task has on your goals or the business. Consider the consequences of not completing a task and the benefits of completing it. ❓ Time and Energy Management. Take your own energy levels and the time of day into account. If you're most productive in the morning, tackle your most critical tasks then. Save routine or less demanding tasks for when your energy dips. My slump is around 3-4pm so I tend to keep that time for admin or fun tasks that are less pressured. Experiment with different methods and find what works best for you. It's all about aligning your efforts with your goals and making the most of your time and resources. #TaskManagement #Prioritising

Get more done in less time - Master the Eisenhower Matrix: Too often we mistake being busy with being productive. The reality? We spend far too much time on the wrong things. Use this time management tool to prioritize your tasks properly, And dramatically increase your productivity. Its simplicity drives its effectiveness - Categorize all of your tasks into 1 of 4 quadrants based on their urgency and importance, And then take action accordingly. This sheet breaks down the details, So you can put it to work: 1) Do Now (Urgent and important) Description: ↳Tasks that require immediate attention and are crucial for your goals ↳Often tied to deadlines, crises, or high-pressure situations Examples: ↳Completing a critical project that's due by end of day ↳Fixing a website crash that's preventing customers from making purchases ↳Preparing for a last-minute client presentation scheduled for tomorrow How to Get Them Done: ↳Prioritize them over everything else ↳Avoid multitasking - focus only on them ↳Use a timer or set specific time blocks to ensure completion 2) Plan for Later (Not urgent but important) Description: ↳Tasks that are important for long-term success but don't need immediate attention ↳Often involve personal growth, strategy, and big-picture goals Examples: ↳Researching and implementing automation tools to improve workflow ↳Meeting with a mentor to discuss career growth ↳Creating a content calendar for next quarter How to Get Them Done: ↳Schedule these tasks into your calendar and stick to working on them ↳Break them down into smaller, actionable steps so they feel less overwhelming 3) Delegate Now (Urgent but not important) Description: ↳Tasks that may feel urgent but aren't critical to achieving your goals ↳Often stem from others' priorities and don't require your unique skills Examples: ↳Replying to most customer service inquiries ↳Reviewing routine reports that don't require your direct input ↳Scheduling travel arrangements for an upcoming conference How to Get Them Done: ↳Delegate these tasks to someone else immediately ↳Provide clear instructions and all necessary resources ↳Give autonomy and only follow-up when asked or necessary 4) Eliminate Now (Not urgent and not important) Description: ↳Tasks that offer little value and don't contribute to long-term goals ↳They are distractions or time-wasters that can be removed Examples: ↳Checking social media notifications often with no clear purpose ↳Attending meetings that don't require your presence or input ↳Over-customizing a PowerPoint for a basic internal presentation How to (NOT!) Get Them Done: ↳Recognize where you're wasting time on trivial things ↳Eliminate these tasks from your routine ↳Set boundaries to avoid falling into time-wasting habits Use the Eisenhower Matrix to prioritize like a pro, And turbocharge your productivity. Have you tried it before? --- ♻️ Repost to help your network become more efficient. And follow me George Stern for more.

S𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗴𝗶𝗹𝗲? 𝗧𝗿𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 7 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀! In Agile, everything feels important, but not everything should be prioritized equally. Without a structured approach, teams can get stuck in endless debates or focus on the wrong tasks. Here are 7 proven Agile prioritization techniques to help you decide what truly matters: 1️⃣ 𝗠𝗼𝗦𝗖𝗼𝗪 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱 A simple way to categorize tasks based on necessity: ✅ Must-Have – Critical for project success. No compromise. 🔹 Should-Have – Important but not mandatory. Can wait if needed. 🔹 Could-Have – Nice to have, but won’t impact the project much. ❌ Won’t-Have – Out of scope for now. ➡ 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿: Quick and easy prioritization of backlog items. 2️⃣ 𝗞𝗮𝗻𝗼 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹 Classifies features based on how users perceive value: 🌟 Delighters – Unexpected features that wow users. ✅ Performance Needs – The better they are, the happier users are. 🔹 Basic Needs – Expected and essential. Missing them = unhappy users. ➡ 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿: Understanding customer satisfaction drivers. 3️⃣ 𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 A data-driven framework that scores tasks based on four factors: 📈 Reach – How many users will this impact? 🎯 Impact – How much will it benefit them? ⚡ Confidence – How sure are we about the impact? ⏳ Effort – How much time/resources are needed? 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮: (𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 × 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 × 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲) / 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 ➡ 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿: Prioritizing features based on measurable impact. 4️⃣ 𝗘𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘅 A productivity framework that separates tasks by urgency and importance: ✅ Urgent & Important – Do it now. 🔹 Important but Not Urgent – Plan for it. 🔥 Urgent but Not Important – Delegate it. ❌ Neither Urgent nor Important – Drop it. ➡ 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿: Managing daily work and preventing burnout. 5️⃣ 𝗪𝗦𝗝𝗙 (𝗪𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁) A formula-based method used in SAFe Agile: (Business Value + Time Criticality + Risk Reduction) / Job Duration ⏩ A high WSJF score means the work should be done sooner rather than later. ➡ 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿: Maximizing economic impact in scaled Agile frameworks. 6️⃣ 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆 (𝗖𝗼𝗗) ⏳ Prioritize based on the financial impact of delaying a feature. 💸 Helps answer: “How much money are we losing every day we don’t release this?” 🔥 Particularly useful for revenue-generating or compliance-driven features. ➡ 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿: Ensuring the highest ROI on time-sensitive projects. 💡 Which of these techniques do you use the most? Drop a comment below!