Using Visual Aids for Task Management

This productivity tool saved me 20 hours per week: The Eisenhower Matrix. Most people confuse being busy with being productive. But activity isn't achievement. Progress is. I spent years in reactive mode—fighting fires, handling "urgent" tasks, wondering why I never made real progress on what mattered. Then I discovered this: Not all tasks are created equal. The breakthrough came from separating urgent from important. The system is simple: Draw a 2x2 matrix and categorize every task: • Important & Urgent → Do Now • Important & Not Urgent → Decide (schedule it) • Not Important & Urgent → Delegate • Not Important & Not Urgent → Delete Track your tasks for one week. At the end, ask yourself: • Which quadrant consumed most of your time? • Which quadrant holds most of your tasks? The gap between these answers reveals everything. I discovered I was spending 70% of my time on "urgent but not important" tasks—other people's priorities disguised as emergencies. The shift was simple: I started saying no to fake urgencies and scheduling deep work for what actually mattered. You can't eliminate all urgent tasks. But when you spend most of your time on important non-urgent work, you build the life you want instead of reacting to the life you have. Watch the full 3-minute breakdown to implement this system today.

Get more done in less time - Master the Eisenhower Matrix: Too often we mistake being busy with being productive. The reality? We spend far too much time on the wrong things. Use this time management tool to prioritize your tasks properly, And dramatically increase your productivity. Its simplicity drives its effectiveness - Categorize all of your tasks into 1 of 4 quadrants based on their urgency and importance, And then take action accordingly. This sheet breaks down the details, So you can put it to work: 1) Do Now (Urgent and important) Description: ↳Tasks that require immediate attention and are crucial for your goals ↳Often tied to deadlines, crises, or high-pressure situations Examples: ↳Completing a critical project that's due by end of day ↳Fixing a website crash that's preventing customers from making purchases ↳Preparing for a last-minute client presentation scheduled for tomorrow How to Get Them Done: ↳Prioritize them over everything else ↳Avoid multitasking - focus only on them ↳Use a timer or set specific time blocks to ensure completion 2) Plan for Later (Not urgent but important) Description: ↳Tasks that are important for long-term success but don't need immediate attention ↳Often involve personal growth, strategy, and big-picture goals Examples: ↳Researching and implementing automation tools to improve workflow ↳Meeting with a mentor to discuss career growth ↳Creating a content calendar for next quarter How to Get Them Done: ↳Schedule these tasks into your calendar and stick to working on them ↳Break them down into smaller, actionable steps so they feel less overwhelming 3) Delegate Now (Urgent but not important) Description: ↳Tasks that may feel urgent but aren't critical to achieving your goals ↳Often stem from others' priorities and don't require your unique skills Examples: ↳Replying to most customer service inquiries ↳Reviewing routine reports that don't require your direct input ↳Scheduling travel arrangements for an upcoming conference How to Get Them Done: ↳Delegate these tasks to someone else immediately ↳Provide clear instructions and all necessary resources ↳Give autonomy and only follow-up when asked or necessary 4) Eliminate Now (Not urgent and not important) Description: ↳Tasks that offer little value and don't contribute to long-term goals ↳They are distractions or time-wasters that can be removed Examples: ↳Checking social media notifications often with no clear purpose ↳Attending meetings that don't require your presence or input ↳Over-customizing a PowerPoint for a basic internal presentation How to (NOT!) Get Them Done: ↳Recognize where you're wasting time on trivial things ↳Eliminate these tasks from your routine ↳Set boundaries to avoid falling into time-wasting habits Use the Eisenhower Matrix to prioritize like a pro, And turbocharge your productivity. Have you tried it before? --- ♻️ Repost to help your network become more efficient. And follow me George Stern for more.

Your standups might be costing you thousands. Here's how we turned it around. Even strong teams leave efficiency on the table. When we introduced Miro templates into our agile practices, it immediately revealed small friction points that were slowing us down. Great feedback from our team sometimes got lost after the meeting wrapped. Miro’s visual tracking of action items baked accountability into the process. Now everyone can see what was proposed, who's responsible, and whether it moved forward, closing the gaps that used to cost us progress. But that was just the beginning. Miro Spaces took it further by giving our team an organized foundation for every project. Instead of jumping into a blank board and starting from scratch, we now build from structured Spaces, complete with technical requirement tables, architecture diagrams, and implementation timelines, all seamlessly connected. Focus Mode lets team members zoom in on their tasks without distraction, and Miro's AI clusters our documentation into clear, actionable workstreams. By making our workflows visible and structured, we tackled technical debt where it often goes unnoticed: in how teams collaborate, organize, and deliver, not just in the code. If you could spotlight just one part of your process today, where would you start? #Miro #MiroPartner

Big picture to daily focus: A smarter way to prioritize. Prioritization can feel overwhelming—especially when you're juggling market strategies, portfolios, projects, and daily tasks. But what if there was a simple, clear method to align it all? Here’s the approach I use: 1️⃣ 𝗭𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗢𝘂𝘁: Start with the market view. Use tools like the 𝗕𝗖𝗚 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘅 to evaluate opportunities and prioritize at the strategic level. 2️⃣ 𝗭𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗜𝗻: Shift to the project view. The 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘌𝘹𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘹 bridges strategy to execution by helping you focus on tasks with the highest impact. 3️⃣ 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆: Finally, organize your personal time with the 𝗘𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘅 to ensure you work smart and avoid unnecessary distractions. To make it even easier, I’ve redesigned the matrices to follow a consistent high/low format. This alignment helps you read, understand, and act faster. Prioritization doesn’t have to be complicated. By zooming out, then zooming in, you can turn strategy into seamless execution. Note that I've used my 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘅 at Microsoft to prioritize efforts as big as multi-million dollar ventures down to much smaller efforts.  By simply checking the impact on a scale of 1 to 10, and ability to execute on a scale of 1 to 10, as a team or individually, all will get revealed. What’s your go-to method for prioritizing? Let’s share tips below! #leadership #productivity

This Japanese concept will revolutionize your meetings. It's called Obeya, meaning "big room." But it's much more than just a room. It's a visual command center where strategy, performance, people, and problem solving come together. Here's how an Obeya works: 1. Strategy Wall → Clear company goals and long-term roadmap 2. Performance Wall → Daily/weekly metrics, quality, safety, OEE 3. Problem-Solving Wall → A3 sheets, Kaizen results, root cause actions 4. People Wall → Roles, training, recognition, communication 5. Center Area → Stand-ups, quick collaboration, decisions And the rhythm is simple: - Morning (15 min) → Review performance, set priorities - Midday (10 min) → Check progress, resolve issues - Evening (10 min) → Summarize, prepare for tomorrow No endless discussions. No chasing updates. No silos. Just one room → one truth → one direction. The result? Meetings that are faster. Decisions that are clearer. Teams that are aligned.

Our Business Operations team was wasting ~$16,000 per month on inefficient meetings (estimated by 5 hours per week x $100 per hour x 8 people). One simple change cut that out: we transitioned from verbal to visual. Here's what we did: BACKGROUND: When we went fully remote at Blip years ago, progress updates became a special kind of torture. Every "quick sync" turned into an hour of: - "Remember when we discussed..." - "Wait, which part are we changing?" - "No, I thought we agreed on..." Same conversations. Different day. Zero progress. THE SHIFT: Instead of talking about changes, we started drawing them. Using @lucid we mapped every single user action before meetings. Not high-level flows… every click, every decision point, every expected behavior. Now when our Supply head says "we're changing this," he points to one square. That's it. Meeting over in 15 minutes. THE SYSTEM: 1. Map the entire journey first (30-45 mins) - Every action documented - Every decision branch visible - One source of truth 2. Share the visual 24 hours before any meeting - Team comments directly on elements - Context builds asynchronously - Everyone arrives prepared 3. Run surgical discussions (15 mins vs 60) - Point to specific boxes - Click in and annotate live - Decisions stick because everyone sees the same thing 4. Track changes visually - Before/after comparisons side-by-side - Progress visible at a glance - No status meetings needed RESULTS: Month 1: Folks complained about "extra work" Month 2: Meetings cut in half Month 3: People started making diagrams without being asked The real magic: Async conversations actually reach conclusions now 😀 Someone screenshots a flow section, circles a box, drops it in Slack: "Change this?" Three replies later: Done. No meeting. No confusion. Just execution. LESSON: Remote teams don't need more meetings. They need better artifacts. When everyone sees the same picture, you stop explaining and start shipping. Draw first. Talk second!

Starting a new PMM role can feel like you're juggling a million tasks all at once. 🤯 So, how do you prioritize what to tackle first? Here’s where the Action Priority Matrix comes in. This simple 2x2 matrix helps you categorize tasks based on Impact and Effort, allowing you to quickly identify "Quick Wins" and strategically plan larger projects. Here’s how you can make it work for you: 1️⃣ List all your tasks for the week (or another time period you prefer). 2️⃣ Rate the impact: For each task, ask yourself how impactful it is on a scale of 0-10. Remember, impact is about how crucial it is to the company’s and team’s key goals. 3️⃣ Evaluate the effort: Then, score the effort required to complete each task. 3️⃣ Plot your tasks on a 2x2 matrix and group them into 4 categories: -----> Quick Wins: Focus here to build early wins and gain confidence. -----> Major Projects: Plan these strategically. Break them into smaller milestones and turn them into quick wins, or seek additional resources. -----> Fill-Ins: Tackle these when you have downtime, or reduce the scope if possible. ----->Thankless Tasks: Avoid these. Delegate or eliminate them! The image shows some sample PMM activities grouped by category - bear in mind these are just examples :) Once you have your priorities mapped out, turn them into an easy to consume list and communicate them to your manager and get their feedback. This is a great way to show that you’re organized and disciplined. Don't be afraid to ask for support—or politely push back by explaining why some tasks may need to be prioritized. Over the years, this simple yet powerful framework has helped my clients achieve more results while avoiding burnout. What has worked for you? #ProductMarketing #newjob #coaching #growth #tech

What is a Kamishibai Board? A Kamishibai Board is a visual control tool used in Lean Management to ensure that standard processes are followed consistently. Inspired by the Japanese method of storytelling with picture cards, in Lean, it is used to visually manage and audit routine tasks, checklists, and processes. Purpose: Promote standardized work adherence. Conduct simple, visual audits (Layered Process Audits - LPA). Increase leadership visibility on the shop floor (Gemba Walks). Build accountability and team discipline. Key Components: Component Description Kamishibai Board A physical board with pockets or hooks for holding audit task cards. Audit Cards Cards listing routine checks (Safety, Quality, 5S, Maintenance, etc.). Color Coding Cards flipped to indicate status (Green = OK, Red = Needs attention). Rotation Schedule Daily, weekly, or shift-based rotations for systematic checks. Example of Kamishibai in Action: Scenario: Manufacturing Shop Floor Board Location: Near the assembly line. Team Lead's Role: Each morning, the team lead pulls 2 Kamishibai cards. Task on Card 1: Check if the 5S standards (Sort, Set in Order, Shine) are being followed at Station 3. Task on Card 2: Verify if torque wrenches are calibrated and properly stored. The team lead performs these audits on the spot. If everything is correct, the card remains green. If there's a deviation (e.g., clutter, missing labels), the card is flipped to red. Immediate action is taken or escalated to leadership. The next day, different cards are pulled, ensuring all areas get attention over time. Benefits: Simple, visual, and low-cost management tool. Encourages daily discipline and continuous improvement. Promotes Gemba (go and see) management. Builds a proactive problem-solving culture.

I've managed 5 high-performing product marketing teams at startups and public companies, and there are 2 commonalities I've noticed at each: 1) it's easy for PMMs to get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of tasks on their plates, and 2) teams are rarely recognized for their true effort or impact by upper management. That's why I want to share my prioritization matrix 👇 It’s been a game-changer in how my teams approach projects and focus on what truly drives results. I’m curious—does this framework resonate with your approach to prioritizing tasks? Here's the concept: Rack up the wins by focusing on projects that offer high visibility and impact for lower effort and avoid those that drain your energy and don’t align with company goals. (Note: you could replace visibility with impact on this scale, but it's important that what you're working on is actually on the radar of those in upper management). Here’s how to prioritize: Quick Wins: These are the golden opportunities! High visibility, low difficulty — they bring great returns with minimal effort. Look for ways to get a few of these in your quarter. Strategic Initiatives: Aim for ONE strategic initiative per quarter. These are high-visibility, high-difficulty tasks that are aligned with your long-term goals. Go deep, plan ahead, and focus on the impact. You will be the most proud of these, but you need to be realistic about them. Routine Tasks: You’ve got to keep up with these, but don't let them consume too much of your time. Find a system to manage them efficiently. Avoid: Stay clear of high-difficulty, low-visibility tasks. These projects often don't yield the results you need, and they’re energy-draining. They don't align with your values or long-term success. 💡 Action Step: Review your current or upcoming projects. Classify them into high or low reward, and high or low effort. What projects are you spending too much time on that aren’t worth the effort? Time to realign and focus on what truly matters! #Productivity #TimeManagement #Prioritization #WorkSmart #StrategicFocus #CareerGrowth #Leadership How do you manage your / your team’s workload?

Why You Should Love the Burn-Up Chart (More Than the Burndown Chart!) Most project managers know about Burndown Charts, but let me introduce you to its smarter sibling: the Burn-Up Chart. Here’s what makes it powerful—and why you should start using it if you aren’t already. ⸻ What is a Burn-Up Chart? A Burn-Up Chart is a visual tool used in Agile and Scrum to track work completed versus total work over time. It has two simple lines: 1. Work Completed (rises as the team completes work) 2. Total Scope (often constant, but can rise if scope increases) Unlike burndown charts—which only show remaining work—burn-up charts clearly show progress AND scope changes. ⸻ Why It’s Better Than a Burndown Chart: • Scope changes are visible. You’ll know if the team is behind OR if the goalpost moved. • Motivational. The upward trend of “work done” can be energizing. • Transparency. It provides a clearer picture to stakeholders. • Progress clarity. You can see how close the team is to reaching the goal line. ⸻ How to Read It: • The X-axis = Time (usually sprints or days). • The Y-axis = Effort (story points, hours, or features). • The work done line goes up as tasks are completed. • The total scope line may stay flat or rise (if scope increases). When both lines meet = Project complete. ⸻ Real-World Use Case: Let’s say your team is working on a software release. Midway, a stakeholder adds 10 more story points worth of features. On a burn-down chart, it would look like your team is failing. But on a burn-up chart, you can clearly see: • Progress is steady • Scope increased • Your team is still delivering well ⸻ Takeaway: If you’re managing Agile projects and not using Burn-Up Charts, you’re missing out on one of the clearest, most powerful visual tools for tracking progress. Start using it. Teach your team. Show it to your stakeholders. It’s simple, honest, and incredibly effective.