Use this tool to help you identify, grade, and prioritize essential tasks or projects from the non-essential.

<aside> 💡 Discerning the essential from the non-essential is THE most important super power a CEO (or any productive worker for that matter) can possess, and consequently the hardest to develop.

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Step 1 — Capture All Tasks/Projects

Using our free Personal Productivity Board, capture and organize all of the outstanding tasks and projects that are currently competing for your time and attention this week.

Make sure to fill out all of the relevant property fields on each task and project card so that Step 2 is much easier to execute.

Step 2 — Define Grading Criteria:

• Does this task/project fall within my current job description and capabilities?
• Does this task/project have an immovable deadline?
• Will this completing this task/project solve or alleviate other tasks/projects?
• Do I have enough time blocked out for this task/project today?
• Do I have everything I need (information, assets, approvals) to get started on this task/project?
• Can this task/project be delegated?

Step 3 — Define Measurements

1 = Negligible impact

2 = Moderate impact

3 = Critical impact

Step 4 — List & Grade Tasks/Projects

<aside> 💡 Results: Though it's not a perfect science, use the process and table above to determine which tasks and projects score the highest according to your criteria. That may be the most essential focus for your next Deep Work calendar block!

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