Conquer Your To-Do List Story Featured in Harvard Business Review
Many of us are deep into working from home and may have to keep doing so indefinitely. While some are still experiencing the benefits of working remotely, others are finding it harder to complete tasks and assignments.
Schulich Professor Ellen Auster, Professor of Strategic Management; Executive Director, York Change Leadership (YCL), and her daughter, tech startup Director Shannon Auster-Weiss, recently published an article in the Harvard Business Review entitled Conquer Your To-Do List with This Simple Hack.
“We both felt overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of tasks on our “to-do” lists from pre-pandemic to new responsibilities because of COVID-19,” shared Professor Auster.
In times of crises, former US President Dwight Eisenhower designed a matrix that focuses on two parameters – importance and urgency. Stephen Covey later popularized this matrix by describing the types of activities. Auster and Auster-Weiss offer additional prescriptive advice for managing each quadrant.
“When you need to prioritize your assignments, this matrix can help you decide when you can delegate, eliminate, or postpone the less essential to focus on what is mission-critical,” expressed Auster-Weiss.
“As a family that embodies work-life integration over work-life balance, we’ve enjoyed the fluidity that remote work offers,” shared Professor Auster. “We’re appreciating the opportunity to start our days with a workout over a commute, quick outdoor breaks between meetings, or being able to enjoy a bike ride over lunchtime.” By prioritizing better, we can invest our energy where it is needed most.