Time Crunch: An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Prioritizing Your Tasks

How an entrepreneur can prioritize tasks

Entrepreneurs who take a systematic approach to organizing their business and workload tend to be more efficient and less stressed. There’s no one-size-fits-all method, but several proven approaches can help you decide what to focus on first and how to use your time wisely. Try one (or a mix) of these strategies to find what fits your work style best.

1. Rank your responsibilities using the ABCD task-management method.

The ABCD task-management method is a simple yet powerful way to boost productivity by focusing on what really matters. Here’s how it works:

• A priorities: Start by asking yourself what you’d focus on if you had nothing else on your plate tomorrow — no meetings, no calls, no reports. What would truly move your business forward? Those are your A priorities: the strategic tasks that create lasting value. They might include refining your value proposition, staffing your business, developing a major proposal or opening a new location. These should take up about 20 to 30 percent of your time.
• B responsibilities: These are the essential, day-to-day tasks in your job description that must get done today. They keep operations running and might include corresponding with clients, handling claims, supervising staff, inputting data, checking contracts, shipping materials or updating databases. Most people spend about 30 to 40 percent of their time here, ideally after tackling an A task.
• C requirements: C activities are necessary but not directly tied to revenue or growth. They include department meetings, routine requests, expense reports, filing, sorting and reading updates. Traveling also fits in this category; it’s required but not core to success. Plan these tasks around your A and B work, and aim to keep them within 20 to 25 percent of your time.
• D activities: D stands for delete, delay, delegate or drop. These are the time drains — casual web surfing, handling tasks someone else could do, or scrolling through email newsletters. Even minor tech issues, like fixing a copier jam or waiting for software to load, count here. Be mindful of these distractions; they can eat up as much as 5 percent of your week.

2. Plan your week with time blocking.

After ranking your priorities, you need to turn them into action. Time blocking helps you assign dedicated space in your schedule for every key task instead of leaving your day to chance.

Here’s how to plan your week effectively:

• Create a daily activity list: Write down everything you need to do and mark each task by priority. Use your digital calendar, a task management app or project management software to stay organized. Then, check off items as you complete them.
• Be specific about what needs to get done: Avoid vague goals like “work on the budget” or “update the recruiting plan.” Break big tasks into smaller, doable steps you can complete today. For example, instead of finishing all your budget planning, you could set up a salary spreadsheet. If you can’t recruit new employees today, you can at least update the job profile or write interview questions.
• Block your time: Schedule your most important tasks first — ideally when your focus and energy are at their peak. Treat that time like any other appointment. If someone asks to meet then, simply say, “Sorry, I already have an appointment.” No one needs to know it’s with yourself.
• Delegate strategically: When things pile up, delegate where you can. If you think you’re the only one who can handle a task, you might be holding your business back. Give others a chance to step up. Assign clear objectives and standards, and ask what they’ll need to get started. If they need help, they’ll ask.
• Put a value on your time: Many people say time is money, but few act like it. They’ll drive across town to save a dollar on gas, while successful entrepreneurs spend money to save time. They choose outsourcing partners to handle what they don’t enjoy or aren’t great at, freeing themselves to focus on what matters most.

3. Use the Eisenhower Matrix to separate urgency from importance.

Some tasks really can’t wait, while others only seem urgent. The Eisenhower Matrix, inspired by President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s famous decision-making approach, helps you sort the difference so you can spend your time where it counts. Here’s how to use it:

Draw a simple four-square grid with the labels:

• Urgent and important: Do these tasks immediately. They’re crises, deadlines or issues that can’t wait.
• Important but not urgent: Schedule these for later. They drive long-term success, like strategic planning or professional development.
• Urgent but not important: Delegate these when possible. Someone else can likely handle tasks like answering routine emails, scheduling meetings or processing simple customer requests.
• Not urgent and not important: Eliminate them. They’re distractions disguised as work — like scrolling through social media, overorganizing files or sitting in on meetings that don’t need you.

When you start sorting your to-do list into these categories, you’ll quickly see how much of your “busy work” doesn’t actually move the needle. The Eisenhower Matrix helps entrepreneurs focus their energy on what really matters, not just what’s flashing red.

4. Eat the frog: Tackle your toughest task first.

It sounds odd, but there’s wisdom in the phrase “eat the frog.” Popularized by author Brian Tracy, the idea is simple: If you had to eat a frog every day, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. After that, everything else feels easier.

Your “frog” is the task you’re most likely to procrastinate on — the one that’s big, uncomfortable or just plain boring. Do it first, before distractions pile up or motivation fades. Completing your hardest task early gives you a sense of accomplishment and momentum that carries through the rest of the day.

By making “eating the frog” a habit, you’ll train yourself to face challenges head-on instead of putting them off. The result? Less stress, more progress and a clear head to focus on everything else that follows.

Task management tools for entrepreneurs

Digital and mobile task management tools help small business owners manage their time and stay organized. Here are a few top picks to consider.

Notion

Forrest McCall, owner of the entrepreneurship blog Don’t Work Another Day, uses Notion to create a prioritized task list that highlights both high- and low-return activities. “If I manage to complete all of the most important tasks, I move on to the lower-return tasks, making it easy to manage and keep up with,” McCall explained.

Notion is available for iOS, Android, Mac and Windows. It offers a free plan for personal use and paid plans starting at $10 per user per month for teams, with added features like unlimited file uploads and advanced permissions. Visit Notion online to learn more.

Google Docs

Task management doesn’t have to be complicated. Felipe Zambrano, former vice president of AvaTrade Marketplace, uses bullet points on a Google Doc and organizes them according to priority.

“You have to categorize each task as [to] how urgent it is and also the level of impact,” Zambrano advised. “The idea is to focus on things that create a large impact and push aside those which aren’t urgent and don’t make a big improvement to your organization.”

You can use Google Docs for free via a web browser or download it as an iOS or Android mobile app.

Productboard

Productboard helps businesses of all sizes identify what clients want and set clear market priorities. Entrepreneur Kenny Kline said it’s especially popular among product managers and road mappers because it “provides a powerful prioritization matrix for displaying the value/effort trade-off across all objective features.”

Productboard is a browser-based platform offering a 15-day free trial, with paid plans starting at $19 per user per month for the Essentials plan. More comprehensive options are available for larger teams. Visit the Productboard website to learn more.

Todoist

Todoist is a long-standing, popular to-do list app that continues to deliver value. Mark Osborne, former director of Prestige Roof Lanterns, appreciates features like organizing tasks by date and color-coding them. “Although the free edition has fewer capabilities, it is extremely well designed and user-friendly,” Osborne noted.

Todoist is available as an iOS or Android app. It offers a free tier for up to five active projects, with more robust options at $4 and $6 per user per month for the Pro and Business plans, respectively. These paid tiers include unlimited projects and team collaboration features. Visit the Todoist website for more information.

Teamwork.com

When prioritizing tasks gets complicated across multiple team members, entrepreneurs need a reliable collaboration platform. There’s always a new idea to jot down, another person to contact or a project shifting direction. Teamwork.com helps leaders manage in-office and remote teams efficiently so nothing falls through the cracks. Each employee has access to a My Work tab that sorts and ranks essential tasks, keeping the entire team aligned — even when their entrepreneurial leader is out conquering the world.

Teamwork.com is available via the desktop and as an iOS or Android app. Plans range from a free-forever option for up to five users to paid tiers starting at $10.99 per user per month for the Deliver plan, with enterprise options also available. Visit the Teamwork.com website to learn more.

Why entrepreneurs should prioritize tasks

What does an entrepreneur do on a daily basis? They navigate complex responsibilities such as creating a business plan, writing a marketing plan, managing finances and building a strong hiring process. If you’re overwhelmed, you’re more likely to overlook critical tasks and miss deadlines. Our experts shared several crucial reasons why prioritizing tasks benefits entrepreneurs:

• Prioritizing tasks maximizes productivity: Entrepreneurs wear many hats, so using time wisely is essential. “As an entrepreneur, more than any other role, you have limited time to accomplish a never-ending list of tasks and to-dos,” Zambrano noted. “As a result, it’s critical to organize your time to be the most effective and move your company faster.”
• Prioritizing tasks ensures a more consistent return on investment (ROI): According to a 2024 McKinsey report, organizations that prioritize high-value work and cut time spent on low-impact activities achieve up to 35 percent higher revenue growth. The takeaway for entrepreneurs is clear: By focusing on tasks that truly drive results — and minimizing busywork — you can strengthen your business’s profitability and long-term ROI. “You only have so much time during your day to get things done,” McCall cautioned. “By prioritizing tasks with the highest return on investment, your business can see tremendous growth.”
• Prioritizing tasks encourages a healthy work-life balance: According to an Adobe report on entrepreneurs, one in five small business owners works more than 50 hours per week, while 82 percent lose sleep over work worries. Clearly, task prioritization is essential for preventing burnout. For the health of both their business and personal well-being, entrepreneurs must get a handle on what needs to get done, when it needs to happen and who can handle it. It’s also vital to delegate daily tasks that are time-consuming or unenjoyable. Offloading these responsibilities lets entrepreneurs focus on the big ideas that move their business forward.