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Lessons on Focus from Leading Operations at Nigeria’s First Private Open University
It’s 2025, and the world is even more fast-paced than ever. So it’s common to feel overwhelmed by the volume of tasks and priorities that demand our attention on a daily basis. Whether you’re a student juggling academic, professional and personal commitments, or an entrepreneur managing multiple projects, the challenge remains: how do you prioritise when everything feels important?
In This Post
The Illusion of Equal Importance
At Miva Open University, Nigeria’s first private operational open-distance university, we’ve experienced rapid growth and innovation. In less than 2 years, we have enrolled 9,500+ students across 18 degree-granting programmes. As the Chief Operating Officer, I’ve witnessed firsthand how easy it is to fall into the trap of treating every task as equally important. However, not all tasks carry the same weight or impact.
In a season where the product team built and launched our proprietary student information system (SIS), which included migrating thousands of student accounts and millions of bytes of data, the same team had to plan for the launch of new programmes, support AI initiatives, and handle system issues reported by internal stakeholders.
And this is the case for most teams and individuals at Miva: multiple projects and priorities, a limited timeline, and an expectation of excellent execution. We have been able to execute these projects and so much more at Miva due to our ability to prioritise effectively.
The Power of Prioritisation
Effective time management isn’t about doing more; it’s about doing what matters most. Here are some strategies we’ve implemented at Miva to ensure we’re focusing on the right tasks:
Set Clear Objectives
At the beginning of the year, we share our annual goals. These are high-level strategic imperatives that every team then needs to align towards achieving. Having well-defined goals helps with filtering out distractions and focusing on what’s truly important.
Identify High-Impact Activities
Flowing from the top-level goals are department-specific objectives and individual-specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). With these set, everyone at Miva can determine which activities align closely with our goals and have the potential to produce significant results.
Collaborate with Clarity
Not all tasks need to be done alone, and often, trying to do so creates unnecessary delays. At Miva, cross-functional collaboration is core to how we operate, but it only works when responsibilities are clear. Whether in group projects or cross-departmental initiatives, taking time to define roles, expectations, and timelines at the start helps prevent confusion and keeps everyone focused on shared priorities.
Avoiding the Busyness Trap
Being busy doesn’t always equate to being productive. It’s crucial to distinguish between tasks that keep us occupied and those that move us closer to our objectives.
For instance, spending hours responding to emails might feel productive, but if it detracts from strategic planning or critical decision-making, it might not be the best use of time. Personally, I’ve adopted practices like time-blocking to focus on high-priority tasks and curating my weekly schedule so that at my peak energy levels, I’m spending time on work that matters most.
Implementing these strategies has not just worked for us at Miva—it has enabled us to launch and complete multiple projects that set us apart as an institution. In order to achieve this as individuals, you have to be intentional not just about the strategies but also about the tools and resources you use.
Practical Tips for Students and Professionals
Whether you’re a student or a working professional, these tips can help enhance your productivity:
Use the Eisenhower Matrix
With the Eisenhower Matrix, you categorise tasks based on urgency and importance to decide on actions: do, schedule, delegate, or eliminate. You may need to commit some time to doing this in the beginning, but over time, you’ll be able to quickly identify what tasks fall into each of the matrix categories: do, schedule, delegate and delete.
Implement Time-Blocking
Allocate specific time slots for different activities, ensuring dedicated focus periods. You can have these slots blocked out on your calendar so meetings aren’t scheduled over them.
Align Tasks with Your Energy Peaks
It’s important to understand your peak energy zones and plan around them where possible. If your energy peaks in the morning, for example, you should spend that time in high-impact deep work: coding, strategic planning, writing, etc. Meetings and collaborative work can then happen in the afternoons. While you may not always get your schedule best aligned to your peak zones, the closer you can get, the more productive you’ll be.
Use the Two-Minute Rule
If a task will take two minutes or less, do it immediately. This small habit, from David Allen’s Getting Things Done, prevents minor to-dos from piling up and gives you a quick win that can build momentum for tackling bigger tasks.
Leverage Google Tasks (or Other Task- Trackers)
For tasks that will take longer than two minutes and fall within the “schedule” quadrant of the Eisenhower Matrix, use a tool like Google Tasks to schedule them for a specific date and time. On Google Calendar, you’ll be able to adjust the task to your schedule as needed and get the satisfaction of crossing it off when completed.
Embracing Flexibility
While structure is essential for focus and productivity, it’s equally important to remain adaptable. Unexpected challenges or opportunities may arise, requiring a shift in priorities. At Miva, as is often the case, we’ve cultivated a culture that values both planning and flexibility, allowing us to respond effectively to changing circumstances. This dynamic has enabled us to consistently hit major targets at Miva while moving quickly on large opportunities.
Conclusion
Time is one of our most valuable resources. By focusing on high-impact activities, avoiding the busyness trap, and embracing flexibility, we can make the most of our time. At Miva Open University, these principles have been instrumental in our growth and success.
As you navigate your personal and professional journey, remember that effective time management isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing what matters most.
