How to manage tasks efficiently?

Productivity & Projects, Automation & No-Code, Collaboration & Clients

List tasks with a clear title and due date. Sort by priority so the most important work stands out.

Break large tasks into small steps. Track progress and adjust as needed.

Who is this for?

- Individual contributors seeking clarity
- Team leads coordinating multiple tasks
- Freelancers managing client work
- Project managers overseeing deliverables
- Small teams needing simple tracking

Before you start

- Basic to-do list or notes
- A simple tracker (spreadsheets or boards)
- Commitment to daily check-ins

General Process (How it works)

  1. Clarify the desired outcome Define what 'done' looks like for the task.
  2. Capture tasks List every task and group by priority and deadline.
  3. Break down into steps Convert each task into actionable steps with small scopes.
  4. Estimate effort Approximate time for each step to reveal scope and urgency.
  5. Assign ownership If a team is involved, assign responsibility for steps.
  6. Set a lightweight tracking method Choose a simple board or list and update daily.
  7. Review and adjust Perform regular reviews to adjust priorities and unblock work.

Jump to tool:

Notion Zapier

🏆 Recommended for this task

Alternatives

Zapier

Best for: IT, operations, and product teams seeking scalable AI-driven automations across thousands of apps.
Free Plan AvailableFrom $19.99 / month

How to in Zapier

  1. Create Zap: In Zapier, click Make a Zap. Set Trigger App to Calendly and choose Invite Created. Connect Calendly; test the trigger.
  2. Find Or Create Person: Add Action: Pipedrive - Find Or Create Person; map fields from Calendly (name, email, phone) to the corresponding person fields.
  3. Find Or Create Organization: Add Action: Pipedrive - Find Or Create Organization; map organization name from the Calendly lead data.
  4. Create Or Update Deal: Add Action: Pipedrive - Create/Update Deal; populate title with the lead name and inquiry, assign to the owner, and set the initial stage to New.
  5. Update Marketing List: Add Action: ConvertKit - Update Subscriber; map email and name; update subscriber fields to reflect the new lead.
  6. Create Appointment Activity: Add Action: Pipedrive - Create Activity; type 'appointment' or 'call'; set date/time from Calendly data; assign to the owner.
  7. Route By Path: Add Path (Conditional) in Zapier to handle alternative outcomes (e.g., GST is present or if lead is qualified). Configure filters to branch actions accordingly.
  8. Transfer On Won: If the deal status changes to Won, add Action: Asana - Create Task; copy client and deal details; assign to the consultant; set due date.
  9. Populate Project Brief: Add Action: Asana - Update Task Description with the project brief pulled from PipeDrive; link back to the original deal for context.
  10. Create Onboarding Tasks: Add Action: Asana - Create Subtasks or Checklist items for onboarding; assign to the owner; include notes and due dates.
  11. Lost Deal Nurture: Add Action: ConvertKit - Add Tag to subscriber based on loss reason; trigger nurture sequence and newsletter enrollment.
  12. Optional Zoom Summary: Optionally route Zoom meeting end to an AI summary (via a Zapier-capable app) and post next actions to the relevant Asana task.
  13. Test, Review, and Enable: Run a test of the entire Zap, review mappings, enable the Zap, and monitor the first 24–48 hours for any data mismatches.
Tool details

Quick Comparison

ToolFree Plan?Min Price
Notion Yes $10 per user / month
Zapier Yes From $19.99 / month

Common beginner mistakes

❌ Waiting for perfect clarity before starting
❌ Ignoring due dates
❌ Treating all tasks as equally important
❌ Not breaking tasks down
❌ Skipping daily updates

Which tool should you choose?

Notion

Notion provides an all-in-one workspace with customizable databases, multi-view displays, and templates. Its speed for setting up Kanban boards, timelines, and task templates makes it ideal for consolidating tasks and docs in one place, improving collaboration and reducing tool-switching.

Zapier

Zapier acts as a centralized automation backbone, connecting Calendly, Pipedrive, ConvertKit, and Asana to streamline task intake, lead management, and project setup. Its visual workflow builder and multi-step paths let you automate data handoffs, reduce manual entry, and scale operations without custom code. This makes task management faster, less error-prone, and easier to replicate across teams.