Navigating through the fast paced, hustled oriented modern world often requires you to complete more tasks in less time. There are always short term and long-term goals looming ahead, deadlines to be followed and leads to be submitted. Both in your personal and professional life, you might find yourself moving from task to task, worrying that you might lose sight of the bigger picture.
Logic in academic circles
Logic, as a concept is discussed differently in academic papers. Philosophers talk about deductive logic, where we come to a conclusion based on certain rules that are assumed to be true. For example, if all men have blue hair, and Socrates is a man, then Socrates must have blue hair. It doesn’t matter whether the rule “all men have blue hair” is true or not. The aim is to learn how to deduce conclusions from the rules that are given to you.
The other kind of logic is inductive reasoning, wherein we make conclusions by generalizing from one example to all members of that category. So, taking the above example, let’s say a medical treatment worked for 100 middle aged Caucasian American males with hair loss. Using inductive logic, we generalize that the same treatment will work for all, or at least most, people of that ethnic background, age group and health concerns.
Logic in day-to-day life
Deductive and inductive reasoning sound too academic and abstract, and seem to have no direct relation to day-to-day problems. That’s because, in our daily life we use a more informal logic to weigh the pros and cons of a decision, debating and persuading others.
Brendan Shea (2023) has discussed the concept of informal logic in his book ‘A Little More Logical”. This logic is more flexible, doesn’t have to operate according to fixed rules, and is more often understood as ‘common sense’ It is not a different category of logic really, it is just a mixed bag of strategies that draws from both inductive and deductive methods of reasoning.
Role of logic in decision making
Logical thought helps us use a systematic and rational lens to look at our options, predict outcomes and choose the best course of action. It prevents us from letting our emotions get the best of us, and allowing our biases to cloud our judgment.
Consider an equity investor who wants to make an investment plan in his late fifties. While aggressive, risky investments are known to yield greater returns in the long run, it would be a wise choice for him to go conservative, and prioritize security over size of returns, given his advanced age and inability to live out his losses.
Logical task prioritization is a useful skill to have for students, professionals, entrepreneurs, home-makers, artists, parents and everyone else under the sun! People all over the world are increasingly understanding the importance of logic in professional and personal development. For example, Nafasov and colleagues (2023) discussed the use of technological tools in developing logical thinking skills among mathematics instructors.
Individuals juggle multiple responsibilities, such as work, family, social engagements, and personal hobbies. Logical task prioritization helps in finding a balance among these different aspects of life. By prioritizing tasks based on their importance and aligning them with personal goals and values, individuals can lead a more fulfilling and balanced life.
How to make decisions about task prioritization?
When you have to make a choice between attending to a task or postponing to another time, there are a few questions you can ask yourself in the process.
How urgent is it?
If the deadline is fast approaching, or the task is time-sensitive, push it to the top of your list. Sometimes we may not realize the urgency of a task, because it doesn’t sound ‘important enough’. Some urgent tasks may even go unnoticed. For example, you may be baffled by a choice between preparing for a presentation and planning a baby shower for your friend…when in reality the more urgent task at that moment, could be making dinner for yourself!
How important is it?
We’ve all been there; the more stressful a task seems, the more we feel like pushing it away. Sirois (2023) discovered that since procrastination is a low-resource means of avoiding aversive tasks, and our resources are depleted, the risk of procrastination is more when the task stresses you out.
Some tasks are high stakes, like a preparing for a client meeting or doing your taxes. Important tasks are also the ones that align with your long-term goals, values and objectives. For example, spending time with your family, working out, and planning healthy meals are important for your long-term health and well-being. It is necessary to strike a balance between tasks that are urgent, and those that are important in the long term.
What would be the impact of doing/not doing the task?
Think about the consequences of postponing the task. Would people be upset? Would your employment status, mental health, family life, suffer? If the answer is yes, put that task on the priority list. If there is too much on your plate, try to inform the people involved, that you are postponing the task. For example, send an email to your boss, let your friend know that you will have lunch with her next week. Make sure that you decide a specific date for completing the task later.
Do other tasks depend on this?
Sometimes, when we ignore certain tasks, they become an excuse for us to not handle bigger tasks that depend on them. For example, you may find that your subordinates haven’t responded to an email about a project, and you want to ask them about it, but you keep postponing the meeting. Ensuring that dependent tasks are completed in the right sequence can prevent bottlenecks and delays in overall progress.
Resources
It happens to the best of us, we often bite off more than we can chew. We take on new assignments even if we don’t have the time, say yes to social events when we are drained of energy and sign up for tasks that are not a one-person job.
Evaluate the resources required to complete a task, including time, finances, manpower, and materials. Prioritize tasks that align with the available resources, and be realistic about what can be accomplished within the constraints of your resources. It is also important to slow down and restore your energy. Kudesia and colleagues (2023) found that mindfulness practices empower people to use fewer cognitive resources for multi-tasking, and lowers the mental fatigue after.
When you find yourself knee-deep in items from a to-do list, life can feel overwhelming. You may be forced to choose between things you have to attend to immediately, and things you can keep aside temporarily. When your tasks seem formidable and you feel unprepared, these choices can seem hard and effortful.
In this article, we explored various aspects that should be considered before prioritizing a task, like the urgency, importance. You can use these tips as a base to further build your knowledge about applications of logic in day-to-day life.
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