Are You the Manager Who Relies on To-Do Lists?

Here’s Why Prioritization Matters More Than Completion

I used to think that being productive meant finishing as many tasks as possible. The more I checked off my to-do list, the more accomplished I felt. But over time, I noticed something strange some tasks made almost no difference, while a few important ones had a huge impact.

This became clear when I started writing LinkedIn posts. I spent hours perfecting some posts, but they got little response. Then, one day, I shared a simple thought without overthinking, and it got a lot of engagement.

That’s when I understood: Not all tasks are equally important.

This applies not just to writing, but also to how we work, manage time, and lead teams. Many managers focus on doing more instead of doing what really matters.

This is where the Pareto Principle helps.

“Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things.”
– Peter Drucker

What is the Pareto Principle?

The Pareto Principle, also called the 80/20 Rule, says that 80 percent of results come from 20 percent of efforts.

This idea was first noticed by an economist named Vilfredo Pareto, who found that 80 percent of Italy’s land was owned by 20 percent of the people. Later, experts found that this pattern is true in many areas:

CRG Solutions found that 20% of their customers drove 80% of product sales using Pareto analysis
CNN once reported that 80% of errors and crashes in Microsoft products come from 20% of the bugs

Yet, many managers spend their time on small, low-impact tasks instead of focusing on what really drives success.

How to Use the Pareto Principle at Work

Productivity & Time Management

To-do lists are useful, but not all tasks have the same value. The goal is not to complete everything but to focus on the 20 percent of tasks that lead to 80 percent of success.

In sales, a small number of clients generate most of the revenue. Instead of running after every lead, focusing on high-value clients can bring better results.

A Simple Way to Prioritize Tasks:
Use the Eisenhower Matrix, which sorts tasks into four categories:

Urgent & Important – Do these tasks immediately.
Important but Not Urgent – Schedule them for later.
Urgent but Not Important – Delegate these to someone else.
Neither Urgent nor Important – Remove them from your list.

You can also try digital tools like the Priority Matrix app to apply this model easily in your daily planning.

Why This Matters:
Managers who treat all tasks equally spend too much time in emails and meetings while ignoring important work that brings real progress.

Leadership & Decision-Making

A good leader does not try to do everything. Instead, they focus on high-impact decisions.

A study by McKinsey & Company found that executives who focus on key strategic decisions make their companies 40 percent more profitable than those who try to manage every small detail.

Before starting any task, ask yourself:

Will this task have a big impact on business results?
If not, can I delegate, automate, or remove it?

Why This Matters:
A manager who tries to control everything slows down progress and makes employees less motivated.

Employee Performance & Growth

Not every employee contributes equally, and not all training programs give the same results.

Google’s research, called Project Oxygen, found that top managers spend 80 percent of their time coaching and developing just 20 percent of high-potential employees. This helped build stronger teams and better performance.

What You Can Do:

Identify employees who contribute the most.
Give them good mentorship, leadership roles, and learning opportunities.

If companies give the same time and resources to all employees, high performers may feel ignored and lose motivation.

Since you have spent 80% of your time reading this, spend% percent applying it:

Look at your to-do list—are you focusing on the tasks that really make a difference?
Check your schedule—which meetings or tasks can you remove?
Think about your team—are you giving the right opportunities to the right people?

Success is not about doing more work. It is about doing the right work.

Next time you feel busy, pause and ask yourself:
Am I working on what truly matters, or just staying busy?

If it is the second one, it’s time to change your approach.