The Human Element - Soft Skills for IT Professionals

Time Management: Prioritizing Tasks in a Busy Environment

An IT professional's workload is often a constant flood of tickets, project tasks, and unexpected emergencies. Effective time management is crucial for staying productive and ensuring that the most critical issues are addressed first.

• Prioritizing with Impact and Urgency

  Not all tasks are created equal. A successful technician must be able to quickly assess and prioritize their queue. A simple way to do this is to evaluate each task based on two factors:

  1. Impact: How many people are affected? A single user being unable to print is low impact. The entire sales team's server being down is high impact.
  2. Urgency: How critical is the affected service to the business? An issue with the company's e-commerce website is high urgency. An issue with the cafeteria's menu display is low urgency. Tasks that are High Impact and High Urgency (e.g., a full network outage) must always be handled first.

• Practical Techniques

  • Focus on One Task: Multitasking is a myth. Focus on resolving one ticket at a time to ensure accuracy and efficiency.
  • Use a System: Whether it's a digital to-do list, a physical notebook, or features within your ticketing system, have a method for tracking your tasks for the day.
  • Block Out Time: For larger projects or complex problems that require deep focus, block out time on your calendar to prevent interruptions.
  • Know When to Escalate: Don't be a hero. If you've spent a reasonable amount of time on an issue without making progress, escalate it to a senior technician or another team. Your time is a valuable resource, and it's better spent on issues you can solve.