You're overwhelmed with tasks in consulting. How can you effectively prioritize and manage your time?

Prioritize Ruthlessly! Not all tasks are created equal. Using the Eisenhower Matrix helps me categorize tasks based on urgency and importance. And Importantly, don't be afraid to say no to low-priority requests that don't align with your goals.

You will be overwhelmed with tasks in consulting for most of the time, but how you manage your time and tasks effectively will be a key to your success. Use the 2*2 Prioritization Matrix which is a grid with two axes: urgency and importance, - Quadrant 1 (urgent and important) - Do it straightaway - Quadrant 2 (important, not urgent) - Decide when to do it - Quadrant 3 (urgent, not important) - Delegate - Quadrant 4 (not urgent, not important) - Ignore And as you will progress in your career, you will need to learn the art of saying 'No'. We feel like saying no might sound rude, but you will need to draw a line at some point.

Beyond consulting, in life also, this skill is MOST underrated skill - understanding the urgency. You need to develop a thick skin to segregate urgent from important. I always struggled to do so, as everything seemed important and urgent to me. But proceeding this way will not only give you stress but also lower the quality of your work. Start recognising that urgent tasks demand immediate attention, often tied to external deadlines, whereas important tasks align with your long-term objectives and values.

To effectively prioritize and manage your time in consulting, start by understanding the urgency and importance of each task. Use tools like the Eisenhower Matrix to categorize tasks into urgent-important, important-not urgent, urgent-not important, and not urgent-not important. Focus on completing urgent and important tasks first. Break down large projects into smaller, manageable tasks with clear deadlines. Use a task management tool like Trello or Asana to track progress. Schedule dedicated time blocks for deep work and avoid multitasking. Delegate tasks where possible and communicate with your team to ensure alignment. Regularly review and adjust your priorities as needed.

Goal setting is not just important for planning your work as a consultant, it is also essential when establishing a consulting relationship with a client. It is your job as the consultant to help your clients shape and articulate their goals so that each party is crystal clear on exactly what is to be delivered and by when. Having this clear starting off point will be an important factor in determining the overall success of the project in the end.

Setting clear and actionable goals is always important in consulting. The SMART method creates a clear pathway for your daily tasks, ensuring each aligns with your broader objectives. I have seen people feeling overwhelmed in consulting processes, so then they review the goals to identify which tasks will most effectively advance them.

If you are working as a consultant on a sole trader basis or as a micro-business of one, delegation within a team is, of course, not going to be possible. What may be possible, however, is using the services of a virtual personal assistant or administrator with whom you can establish an ongoing relationship. This person can then be your go-to person during busy periods for any administrative tasks associated with consulting project work. This then frees you up to focus on the other elements that are not delegatable but doesn't commit you to employing someone on a full or part-time basis all of the time.

One unconventional tip I've found effective is to schedule your downtime first. Block off time for rest, reflection, and personal pursuits before filling your calendar with work commitments. This ensures that you have the energy and mental clarity to tackle your most important tasks.

Learn to say NO. Period. It is the unlearning each one of us should do which is : saying NO is a weakness. I believe telling NO to 2 tasks can improve your productivity and the quality of the other 8 tasks in such away that tomorrow you can actually add up the 2 tasks also and deliver them successfully. So I feel you must allocate specific time slots for different tasks or activities to ensure dedicated focus periods. Try to avoid the disruption of constant meetings or reactive tasks. Schedule deep work sessions for complex tasks that require concentration, and include short breaks to rest and recharge.

For me, it's essential to recognise when my most productive times of the day are and allocate tasks to these blocks accordingly. I love to work first thing early in the morning when the house is quiet. This is a great time of the day for me to quickly get through a number of admin tasks on my daily to-do list. Then, once the kids are off to school, I get another really good block of time up until lunch time which is great for deep, focused work where I can tackle really complex tasks. I also still schedule blocks of time for research - just like I did when I was working in post. For me, Monday and/or Friday mornings are a great time to really focus on research projects and dedicated writing, which is almost always done collaboratively.

I would say that declining work is something that takes time to achieve and I'm certainly not fully there yet. It is also very much contingent on having the luxury of being able to say no to work, which, as a consultant, probably only happens after years of being well-established in the field. In most cases, clients can be flexible on delivery time giving scope for parallel projects. In any case, what I think is important is developing a strong network around you - for me, that's the Network of Educational Enhancement Consultants (NEEC) - which you can reach out to in order to take on work or help with work that you might not otherwise be able to take on at all or alone during busy periods.

In consulting, managing time effectively requires the ability to say no tactfully. For instance, if a client requests an additional report that doesn't align with your current priorities, evaluate its importance compared to your existing commitments. If it’s not a priority, you can decline politely or suggest an alternative approach. This strategy prevents overcommitment and ensures you focus on tasks that truly matter. By setting clear boundaries and prioritizing your workload, you maintain the quality of your work and uphold professional relationships, making your time management more efficient and effective.

To handle overwhelming tasks in consulting, make it a habit to review your work at the end of each day. For example, if you’ve tackled several client reports and have new requests coming in, take a moment to assess what you’ve completed and what’s next. This daily review helps you track your progress, adjust your priorities as needed, and stay aligned with your key objectives. By regularly evaluating your tasks and plans, you ensure that you’re focusing on what truly matters and adapting to any changes efficiently. This approach keeps you organized and on top of your workload.

Categorize tasks into four quadrants: urgent and important, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, and neither urgent nor important. Focus on tasks that fall into the "important but not urgent" category to prevent crises and manage workload proactively. Additionally, delegate tasks where possible and communicate clearly with your team to ensure alignment. This approach helps manage time efficiently, keeps stress levels in check, and ensures that you are concentrating on high-impact activities.

Consulting is not just about reaching milestones and deliverables; it's about the learning and growth that happens along the way. Take time to reflect on your progress, celebrate your successes, and learn from your challenges. This mindset shift can make all the difference in how you approach your work and manage your time.