Step 1 of 7
Before you start
By the end of this lesson you will be able to:
- Distinguish priority from urgency.
- Track multiple tasks without relying on memory.
- Identify dependencies and conflicts.
- Estimate and communicate workload.
- Maintain follow-up dates and status.
A task list is useful only if it helps you decide what to do next and prevents important work from disappearing.
Urgent vs. important, and dependencies
Urgent vs. important: Urgency concerns how soon something needs attention. Importance concerns the consequence of not doing it. A task can be urgent but low impact, or important but not immediately urgent.
Dependencies: A dependency means one task cannot proceed until another action, decision, file, or person is available.
Task tracker fields
| Field | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Task | What needs to be done |
| Owner | Who is responsible |
| Priority | Relative importance |
| Due date | When it needs to be completed |
| Dependency | What must happen first |
| Status | Where it currently stands |
| Next action | The next concrete step |
| Follow-up | When to check again |
Sort by urgency and importance
Drag each task into the quadrant that fits best.
Do first (urgent & important)
Schedule (important, not urgent)
Quick or flag (urgent, low impact)
Batch for later (neither)
0 of 6 placed correctly.
Why is Task B late?
What's the best response?
Two "urgent" requests
Which should you prioritize, and why?
Work sample: Administrative Task Tracker
Two rows are started — add more fictional tasks with different deadlines, dependencies, and priorities.
Nice work.
You've practiced telling urgent from important, naming dependencies out loud, and holding the line on the client's actual priorities.