Last updated on Nov 2, 2024

You're balancing urgent tasks and important tasks in business networking. How do you prioritize effectively?

In the fast-paced world of business networking, you're constantly juggling between urgent and important tasks. It's like a never-ending game of tug-of-war, where both sides demand your attention, but not both can win at the same time. Urgent tasks are those that require immediate action and are often associated with someone else's priorities, while important tasks are those that contribute to your long-term goals and values. The key to effective prioritization is not just to work harder, but to work smarter by identifying which tasks will yield the most benefit for your networking efforts in the long run.

1 Urgent vs Important

When you're caught in the whirlwind of business networking, it's crucial to distinguish between tasks that are urgent and those that are important. Urgent tasks often come with a sense of immediacy, pressuring you to act quickly, but they may not always align with your long-term networking objectives. On the other hand, important tasks, though they may lack the same time sensitivity, are the ones that support your strategic goals and should not be neglected. To prioritize effectively, you must evaluate the impact of each task on your networking goals and decide which ones will contribute most to your success.

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Manoj SABU

Co-Founder & Waste Innovation Strategist at ECOWRAP | Turning Waste into Opportunities | Stay Ambitious Be Unstoppable
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Write down all tasks, separating them into urgent and important categories... this helps visualize what needs attention first... do these tasks first... adjust priorities as needed based on changing circumstances... delegate the tasks that demand quick action but do not significantly impact your goals... nothing rocket science... do what's important first and than that what can wait...

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Ivan Muñiz Rothgiesser

Embajador @ Global Gold Speakers | Higher Education Teaching, Communication
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En mi experiencia el gran problema está en que no somos conscientes de que las tareas que son importantes que no se planifican a tiempo con el tiempo se convierten en urgentes. una herramienta muy útil que recomiendo es la MATRIZ de EISENHOWER para identificar que actividades se deben planificar, cuales hacer de inmediato, cuales delegar y por último, cuales eliminar.

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Cleber Meloccaro Sanches

Operations, Facilities and Project Management | Consulting | Agile Master
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It is important to differentiate between these two terms because it is not uncommon for things to get mixed up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. New projects and demands from different areas arise and, when we are faced with this volume, we do not even know where to start. Everything seems urgent, everything seems important and, at the end of the day, we end up paralyzed thinking about how to “grow arms” to deal with it all.

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2 Eisenhower Matrix

Utilize the Eisenhower Matrix, a time management tool, to categorize your networking tasks into four quadrants based on urgency and importance. This matrix helps you visually sort tasks into 'Urgent and Important', 'Important but Not Urgent', 'Urgent but Not Important', and 'Neither Urgent nor Important'. Focus on completing tasks in the first quadrant, plan for those in the second, delegate the third, and eliminate the fourth. This method ensures that you're not just reacting to the urgent, but also dedicating time to activities that build your networking effectiveness.

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Ivan Muñiz Rothgiesser

Embajador @ Global Gold Speakers | Higher Education Teaching, Communication
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En mi experiencia la matriz de Eisenhower es muy útil para visualizar la importancia y la urgencia de nuestras actividades. Es importante ser conscientes que vivir en la zona de URGENTE es porque no planificamos, delegamos ni eliminamos tareas oportunamente. Cuando las personas me dicen que no tienen a quien delegar, les respondo que hoy en día contamos con la tecnología. Todo aquello quela recnología pueda hacerlo por tí, delégaselo. Automatiza tus actividades para contar con más tiempo para planificar o resolver eventos inesperados.

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3 Time Blocking

Time blocking is a potent technique for managing your networking schedule. Allocate specific blocks of time in your calendar for different types of tasks, such as responding to emails, attending events, or following up with contacts. By doing so, you create a structured approach that allows you to handle urgent matters while also carving out uninterrupted time for important tasks that require deeper focus. This balance ensures that you're addressing immediate needs without sacrificing the activities that foster meaningful connections and opportunities in your network.

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Ivan Muñiz Rothgiesser

Embajador @ Global Gold Speakers | Higher Education Teaching, Communication
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En mi experiencia, cuando hacemos algo que nos gusta y disfrutamos haciéndolo podemos perder la noción del tiempo y dedicarle más tiempo de lo que requiere. Es muy importante asignarnos una cantidad de tienpo a cada actividad y respetarla. El principal saboteador de nuestra agenda somos nosotros mismos, ya que interrumpimos lo que estamos haciendo para atender tareas que no son importantes ni urgentes . Recomiendo contestar llamadas y correos en un horario establecido , para que no interrumpan las actividades diarias. Tener el sonido del teléfono apagado es una gran forma de evitar distracciones.

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4 Delegation Strategies

In business networking, there's a powerful yet often underutilized strategy: delegation. Not all tasks need your direct involvement; some can be handled by others within your network or team. Identify tasks that can be delegated and find trustworthy individuals who can take them on. Delegating frees up your time to concentrate on high-impact networking activities that only you can perform. Remember, effective networking isn't about doing everything yourself; it's about building a supportive community where responsibilities can be shared.

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Ivan Muñiz Rothgiesser

Embajador @ Global Gold Speakers | Higher Education Teaching, Communication
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En mi experiencia , todo aquello que otro lo puede hacer por nosotros deberíamos delegarlo, para poder tener tiempo para hacer otras tareas que NO puedes delegarlas. El primer aliado con ele que contamos es la Tecnología. Todo aquello que puedas automatizar, hazlo. por otro lado, cuando delegamos tareas a terceros debemos ser conscientes que la responsabilidad sigue siendo nuestra. No solo debemos escoger bien a la persona a la que delegamos tareas específicas , tambien debemos revisar que se haya realizado la tarea de acuerdo con lo indicado. Hay cosas que no pueden delegarse porque necesitan una atención personal. Yo por ejemplo contesto personalmente a todos mis seguidores, porque es muy importante para mi.

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5 Technology Tools

Leverage technology tools to streamline your networking efforts. There are various apps and software designed to help manage contacts, schedule meetings, and automate follow-ups. By incorporating these tools into your workflow, you can reduce the time spent on routine tasks, allowing you to focus on nurturing relationships and attending to urgent matters when they arise. Embrace technology as an ally in your quest to balance urgent and important networking tasks effectively.

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6 Reflect and Adapt

Finally, take time to regularly reflect on your networking activities and their outcomes. Are you spending too much time on urgent tasks at the expense of important ones? Are there patterns in the types of tasks that become urgent? Use these insights to adapt your approach, whether that means setting clearer boundaries, improving your time management skills, or being more selective with the opportunities you pursue. Continuous reflection and adaptation are key to mastering the balance between urgency and importance in business networking.

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You're balancing urgent tasks and important tasks in business networking. How do you prioritize effectively?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Urgent vs Important

2 Eisenhower Matrix

3 Time Blocking

4 Delegation Strategies

5 Technology Tools

6 Reflect and Adapt

Business Networking

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You're balancing urgent tasks and important tasks in business networking. How do you prioritize effectively?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Urgent vs Important

2 Eisenhower Matrix

3 Time Blocking

4 Delegation Strategies

5 Technology Tools

6 Reflect and Adapt

Business Networking

Rate this article

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