As the old saying goes, “nothing worth having comes easy.” In the world of business, this couldn’t be more true. It’s often the hardest tasks that make the biggest impact on a company’s success. However, it can be easy to fall into the trap of working on the easy tasks and avoiding the harder, more impactful ones. In this blog post, we’ll explore why it’s important for businesses to tackle hard tasks, and we’ll offer some tips on staying on track and prioritizing the tasks that will have the greatest impact.
In this blog, you’ll learn:
- Explanation of why easy tasks don’t make much of an impact on a business
- Description of the potential impact of hard tasks on a business
- Tips for tackling hard tasks and breaking tasks down into manageable pieces
- How 3 Steps To Startup helps startup owners identify challenging tasks and put aside the easier tasks as they become more efficient and grow into industry leaders
Why Businesses Should Tackle the Hard Tasks (That Make an Impact) & Leave The Easy Tasks For Later
Understanding Hard and Easy Tasks
Tasks can be categorized as either hard or easy based on the level of difficulty or effort required to complete them. Easy tasks are typically those that can be accomplished quickly and without much effort or skill, while hard tasks require more time, effort, and skill to complete. Understanding the difference between hard and easy tasks can help you prioritize your work and manage your time more effectively.
Here are a few strategies you can use to identify some of the most difficult (and possibly time-consuming tasks) in your business:
- Identify the tasks that require the most time and effort to complete, and prioritize them accordingly.
- Consider delegating hard tasks to team members with the skills and experience to handle them.
- Break down hard tasks into smaller, more manageable sub-tasks to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
- Schedule hard tasks during your most productive hours to ensure you can focus on them when you have the most energy.
Breaking Down High-Level Tasks Into Smaller Sub-Tasks
High-level tasks can often be overwhelming, so it’s important to break them down into smaller sub-tasks. Doing so lets you focus on one task at a time and avoid feeling overwhelmed. Additionally, breaking down tasks into smaller sub-tasks can help you identify any potential roadblocks or challenges that may arise and address them before they become bigger issues.
Breaking down high-level tasks into smaller sub-tasks starts by:
- Identifying the key steps involved in completing the task.
- Create a checklist or flowchart to visualize the process and track progress.
- Assigning specific sub-tasks to team members based on their skills and experience.
- Set deadlines for each sub-task to ensure the project stays on track.
Identifying Which Tasks Are Most Important For Your Startup
Not all tasks are created equal, which is why it’s important to identify the tasks that are most important. These tasks are typically aligned with your goals and objectives and have the greatest impact on your success. By identifying important tasks, you can ensure that you are focusing your time and energy on the tasks that will impact your overall success.
Here’s a step-by-step process for identifying important business tasks:
- First, get rid of the old stuff hanging around that’s occupying space and holding you back
- Determine which tasks align with your overall business goals and objectives.
- Consider the potential impact of each task on your business and prioritize accordingly.
- Consult with team members or advisors for input on the most important tasks.
- Regularly review and adjust your priorities based on changes in the business landscape.
Understanding The Difference Between Urgent And Important Tasks
Tasks can also be categorized as either urgent or important. Urgent tasks are those that require immediate attention and are often time-sensitive, while important tasks are those that have a greater impact on your success in the long term. Understanding the difference between urgent and important tasks can help you prioritize your work and ensure that you are focusing your time and energy on the tasks that will impact your success.
Prioritizing Tasks That Offer The Greatest Benefits
Once you have identified important tasks and clearly understand the difference between urgent and important tasks, you can begin to prioritize your work. Prioritizing tasks that offer the greatest benefits means focusing your time and energy on the tasks that will impact your overall success. By doing so, you can ensure that you are making the most of your time and achieving your goals.
Prioritizing tasks that offer the greatest benefits requires that you:
- Focus on tasks that are aligned with your business goals and objectives.
- Consider the potential impact of each task on revenue, customer satisfaction, or other key metrics.
- Assess the feasibility of completing each task given the resources available.
- Re-evaluate priorities regularly to ensure you focus on the tasks that will impact your business most.
Measuring Real Progress By Using Action Plans That Leverage SMART Goals
Developing an action plan is a critical step in achieving your goals. An action plan outlines the specific steps you need to take to achieve your objectives and includes measurable goals and timelines. By implementing an action plan, you can break down your goals into smaller, more manageable tasks, and track your progress along the way.
A plan of action with measurable goals is critical to achieving your objectives. Measurable goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART), which means that they are clearly defined and can be tracked over time. By developing a plan of action with measurable goals, you can ensure that you are making progress toward your objectives and can adjust your approach as needed to achieve success.
Understanding SMART Goals
One of the most effective ways to set and achieve goals in your business is to use the SMART goal framework. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Let’s break down each element of this acronym:
- Specific: Goals should be clear and specific. Avoid setting vague or general goals that are difficult to measure or achieve. Instead, identify specific outcomes you want to achieve.
- Measurable: Goals should be measurable to track progress and determine whether you’re on track to achieve them. Establish specific metrics or indicators that you can use to measure success.
- Attainable: Goals should be challenging but attainable. Avoid setting goals that are unrealistic or impossible to achieve. Instead, set goals that stretch your team but are still within reach.
- Relevant: Goals should be relevant to your business and aligned with your overall strategy. Avoid setting goals that don’t directly contribute to your business objectives. Instead, focus on goals that are relevant and meaningful to your business.
- Time-bound: Goals should have a specific deadline or timeframe for completion. Avoid setting goals without a deadline, which can lead to procrastination and lack of focus. Instead, establish a specific deadline for each goal to keep your team on track.
Identifying and Implementing SMART Goals in Your Business
To identify and implement SMART goals in your business, follow these steps:
- Review your overall business strategy and identify areas where you want to improve or grow.
- Identify specific outcomes you want to achieve in each area, and use the SMART framework to ensure each goal is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound.
- Assign specific tasks to team members and set deadlines for completion. Make sure each team member understands their role in achieving each goal.
- Use project management tools to track progress and communicate with team members. Regularly review progress towards each goal and adjust your plan as necessary.
- Celebrate successes and use setbacks as opportunities to learn and improve.
So, always review your business’ performance quarterly and at year’s end to evaluate what tasks might benefit your startup best.
Why Tackle the Hard Tasks First?
It’s natural to want to work on easy and familiar tasks. These tasks are comfortable and give us a sense of accomplishment when we complete them. However, easy tasks often make little impact on our business. They might be necessary but they don’t move us forward or help us grow.
On the other hand, complex tasks can be intimidating. They require more time and effort and may be outside our comfort zone. But tackling these tasks can have a significant impact on our business. They can help us innovate, grow, and stay competitive.
For example, a challenging task might be to develop a new product or service. This might require market research, product design, and testing. It might take several months or even a year to complete. However, if successful, it could launch your business into a new market, attract new customers, and increase your revenue.
Another challenging task might be to restructure your organization. This could involve changes to your leadership team, reporting structure, and processes. It might be a complex and emotional process, but if done correctly, it could lead to a more efficient and effective organization.
Getting Started with 3 Steps To Startup
Simply put, tackling hard tasks is essential for businesses that want to grow and stay competitive. While it can be tempting to focus on easy tasks that are comfortable and familiar, it’s the hard tasks that have the most significant impact on our business.
3 Steps To Startup can help you identify and set clear (measurable) goals, break tasks into manageable pieces, prioritize, get buy-in and support, and celebrate progress, we can stay on track and tackle the hard tasks that will help us achieve our business goals.
Complete Your Hard Tasks With 3 Steps To Startup Today
Tags: 3 Steps To Startup, Benefits, Business Goals, creative thinking, Entrepreneurship, Getting Started, Informational Blog, innovative problem solving, Prioritizing, Progress, Small Business, Smart Goals, Sub Tasks, Urgent Tasks