Finding the right tools to complete workplace tasks

In our lively professional offices across Kenya, we often juggle multiple tasks, deadlines, and meetings all seemingly at the same time.

It makes effective task management essential for maintaining productivity and reducing stress in our workplaces. As examples, consider the case of two employees at a thriving insurance firm in Upper Hill.

Wafula, who recently adopted a digital task manager, uses Todoist and Google Calendar to organise his tasks into projects, prioritise them with color-coding, and schedule recurring activities.

He finds that this method allows him to keep track of both short-term and long-term tasks, ensuring that nothing falls through the cracks.

However, Muthoni, who prefers to keep a traditional handwritten to-do list, struggles with overwhelming stress as her list grows longer by the day.

Without a clear system for prioritising or scheduling tasks, she often finds herself working late to catch up, leading to burnout.

Kelsey Alpaio’s research highlights the importance of finding the right task management method to suit individual needs and preferences.

Over four days, she experimented with different strategies, ranging from using a digital calendar to abandoning the traditional to-do list in favour of focused task completion.

Her findings suggest that while no single method works for everyone, understanding how each approach impacts productivity and stress levels can help individuals tailor their task management practices.

For instance, using a digital task manager like Todoist, Asana, TickTick, ClickUp, among others, may work well for those who manage multiple projects, while the “do one thing” method could benefit individuals who struggle with focus and decision-making.

Peder Bergan’s research expands on the cognitive and psychological dimensions of personal task management. He emphasises that effective personal task management goes beyond tools and methodologies. It also involves understanding how our brains process and prioritise information.

By incorporating cognitive and psychological principles into task management strategies, individuals can create systems that not only help them stay organised but also enhance their overall well-being.

As an example, understanding the psychological impact of crossing off tasks can lead to the development of task management systems that provide that satisfaction, thus encouraging continued productivity.

Combining insights from both research, it becomes clear that task management does not merely just revolve around keeping track of to-do lists. Instead, it involves finding a system that aligns with our cognitive processes and psychological needs.

Using the earlier examples, employees like Wafula, who thrive on structure and technology, may benefit from digital task managers that allow for detailed scheduling and prioritisation.

Workers who score high on the OCEAN Big Five personality test dimension of conscientiousness would benefit most from this approach.

On the other hand, Muthoni might find relief in breaking down her tasks into smaller, more manageable lists, or by adopting a method that reduces the psychological burden of an ever-growing to-do list, such as the “do one thing” strategy and block a set time each day out of her schedule to accomplish tasks instead of delineating each task individually.

Lower conscientiousness staff, like this author, might find such a method far more useful.

Executives can leverage the research findings to implement task management training and tools that cater to different cognitive styles within their teams.

By encouraging employees to experiment with various methods, companies can help them find the approaches that best suit their work habits, ultimately leading to improved productivity and reduced burnout and avoiding ineffective one size fits all approaches in favour of nuanced tactics.

Furthermore, incorporating cognitive and psychological considerations into task management systems can help create a more supportive work environment, where employees feel empowered to manage their workloads effectively.

Managers should know when their staff block out specific task completion periods, so they do not bother them during these chunks of time and mess up their productivity.

On the employee side, understanding the impact of different task management methods on their productivity and stress levels proves crucial.

They should experiment with various approaches, such as utilising digital task managers, breaking tasks into smaller lists, or focusing on one task at a time, to discover what works best for them.

Additionally, recognising the importance of cognitive and psychological factors in task management can lead to more effective and sustainable practices, helping employees maintain their productivity and well-being in the long run.

Effective task management does not function as a one-size-fits-all solution. It requires a thoughtful approach that considers individual cognitive and psychological needs.

By combining the practical insights from Kelsey Alpaio’s experiments with the theoretical framework provided by Peder Bergan, individuals and organisations can both develop task management systems that not only enhance productivity but also promote a healthier, more balanced work life.

Have a management or leadership issue, question, or challenge? Reach out to Dr. Scott through @ScottProfessor on X or on email [email protected]