Most workdays don’t fail because of lack of effort.
They fail because of misplaced attention.
There’s always more to do than time allows — tickets, messages, reviews, calls, follow-ups. Over time, I’ve learned that deciding what to work on first matters more than how fast I work.
My approach isn’t perfect, but it’s intentional.
I Start by Separating Noise From Signal
Not everything that arrives deserves immediate action.
Slack messages, tickets, emails, and meetings all compete for attention, but they don’t carry the same weight. I try to quickly assess whether something is:
- Urgent but low impact
- Important but not urgent
- Both urgent and important
Most work lives in the middle — and that’s where clarity is required.
If I react to everything equally, I end up solving visible problems instead of meaningful ones.
I Look for Blockers Before Tasks
One of the first things I ask myself is:
What’s currently blocking someone else?
Unblocking a teammate — clarifying a requirement, answering a question, or validating a direction — often has more leverage than finishing a task in isolation.
Progress multiplies when others can move forward confidently.
I Prioritize Clarity Over Completion
A completed task that was poorly understood often creates more work later.
So I spend a fair amount of time upfront:
- Re-reading tickets
- Asking clarifying questions
- Aligning on intent before execution
If something feels unclear, I treat that as a signal — not an inconvenience. Clarity early almost always saves time later.
I Pay Attention to User Impact
When choosing between tasks, I try to anchor decisions around user impact.
Issues that affect real users — broken flows, confusing behavior, recurring support pain points — tend to move higher on the list, even if they aren’t the loudest.
Work that quietly improves the user experience often compounds, even if it doesn’t look urgent on the surface.
I Accept That Not Everything Will Get Done
This took time to internalize.
A good day isn’t one where everything is finished.
It’s one where the right things moved forward.
I’m deliberate about what doesn’t get attention — postponing, delegating, or consciously deciding not to act yet. Ignoring this reality only leads to shallow progress across too many fronts.
I Re-evaluate as the Day Changes
Priorities aren’t static.
New information, unexpected issues, or user feedback can change what matters most. I try to stay flexible without becoming reactive.
Revisiting priorities during the day is not a failure of planning — it’s a response to reality.
What This Helps Me Avoid
This approach helps me avoid:
- Working only on what’s visible
- Mistaking activity for impact
- Optimizing for speed instead of direction
It also helps me stay calmer, especially on days when everything feels important.
A small closing thought
Deciding what to work on first is less about productivity and more about judgment.
That judgment improves with context, empathy, and practice — not hacks.
It’s something I’m still refining.