Quicksort – divide and conquer algorithm and time management

One article is not enough to explain an algorithm thoroughly. However, the intention here is to take advantage of the concept and apply it to our daily tasks in order to be more productive.

First, we have the problem of procrastination. We all suffer from that problem to some degree because it is natural for human beings to procrastinate and boring tasks. We tend to do them when there’s no choice, like a deadline looming or our boss waiting next door for us to finish a presentation and steal our ideas and call them their own. It may sound like a joke, but it happens all the time.

The problem with procrastination is that tasks seem to grow and accumulate in a pile, preventing us from managing all the work at one point. We start thinking about bail, quitting, suicide, or any other easy way out. Anything to save us from finishing what we should have done weeks ago in the first place. This is when the quick sort algorithm could come in handy.

The concept of the quicksort algorithm used in programming is divide and conquer. First by taking a point of comparison called a pivot, which is an element of the group, and then categorizing the elements in comparison to that pivot. On the one hand you would find superior elements and on the other hand inferior elements. It could be numbers, color intensity, size, or whatever you need to compare. The pivot would begin to take its rightful place among the group. Then you would take small subgroups and start to subcategorize those small sections. You would then do the same for the other sections until the entire group was completely categorized.

This method is much more productive than comparing item by item, without applying a comparison point or categorization. If you try to categorize the whole group without a concept like the one shown above, you’ll end up stuck not knowing what to do next. Just like you are right now with the undone pile of work.

That process, which may seem a bit complicated at first glance, is very simple. If you want to apply this to your workload ahead, just grab one of those tasks. Any. That would be your center. Then use deadlines or priorities as your drive to categorize your work. For example, if you are doing office work, and your stack of work is placed as it comes, it would be very easy because those papers on the top would have less priority than the ones on the bottom, which were obviously placed first. But, you might have received a priority call to send an email ASAP at the risk of losing your job. Then you need to measure the deadlines and priorities.

After defining the job categories, make a checklist and start working hard until you check everything on the list. By dividing the workload, you would beat procrastination and get your life back on track.

This system works even better if you are an entrepreneur because your motivation to do your job is much better than if you were a simple employee. You are not working so hard just to keep a lousy, low-paying job, but you will work to become richer, and by becoming richer, you will have the happiness that comes from helping others have a better life.