Written by Laura Keane, Trainee Solicitor.
Managing multiple deadlines effectively is a crucial skill for any professional, particularly in the fast-paced legal industry. At IHLS, we have developed a set of strategies to help streamline our workflow and ensure that we meet all our deadlines efficiently. Here are our top five tips:
Start your day with a focus on ‘quick wins.’ These are tasks or emails that you can resolve in under 5-10 minutes. Prioritising these tasks within the first 30 minutes of your day helps to clear your inbox, making it easier to see the bigger tasks that require more attention. Quick wins can include sending quick acknowledgments, following up on pending issues, answering internal queries you already know how to handle, or reviewing urgent NDA comments and advising the Paralegal on the next steps. This approach not only lowers your email count but also sets a productive tone for the day.
Once you’ve tackled your quick wins, it’s time to prioritise the remaining tasks in your inbox. Start by sorting them by urgency. For example, supervising an urgent NDA with a four-hour turnaround takes precedence over commercial work due in a few days. When the volume of work feels overwhelming, begin with the earliest emails and determine their deadlines and requirements. This step-by-step approach helps you manage your day based on task urgency and due dates, ensuring nothing important is overlooked.
Organisation is key to managing multiple deadlines. File emails immediately after actioning them, or make a note to revisit tasks later, keeping your inbox focused on the day’s priorities. On Mondays, I list tasks that can realistically be deferred to later in the week, ensuring that each task has a dedicated action day. An Excel spreadsheet helps me stay organized, alongside digital tools that track due times. By maintaining an organised system, you can prioritize tasks more effectively and meet deadlines consistently.
Setting realistic deadlines is essential for efficient time management. As a Paralegal, I sometimes underestimated or overestimated the time required for tasks. Transitioning to commercial work has taught me the importance of time blocking and accurately assessing task duration based on my level. Be honest with yourself about the time you need and communicate it to your team, also sharing task durations with colleagues also helps them plan their schedules.
Large projects can be daunting, but breaking them down into smaller, manageable tasks with mini deadlines makes them more approachable. This method helps you steadily progress towards the overall deadline without feeling overwhelmed. Each small task moves the project forward, ensuring you meet your larger goals in a timely manner.
By implementing these five tips, you can effectively manage multiple deadlines and maintain a high level of productivity. At IHLS, these strategies have proven invaluable in keeping our team organised and on track. We hope they help you navigate your workload with greater ease and efficiency.
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