If you’re struggling to prioritize your to-do list, try this:
The Eisenhower Decision Matrix is a 2x2 matrix.
It’s a visualization tool that forces you to differentiate between the urgent and the important to prioritize your time accordingly.
It was popularized by @StephenRCovey in his 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
How it works:
It’s a visualization tool that forces you to differentiate between the urgent and the important to prioritize your time accordingly.
It was popularized by @StephenRCovey in his 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
How it works:
An "urgent" task is one that requires immediate attention to complete.
An "important" task is one that furthers your long-term values or goals.
The four quadrants:
Q1: Important & Urgent
Q2: Important & Not Urgent
Q3: Not Important & Urgent
Q4: Not Important & Not Urgent
An "important" task is one that furthers your long-term values or goals.
The four quadrants:
Q1: Important & Urgent
Q2: Important & Not Urgent
Q3: Not Important & Urgent
Q4: Not Important & Not Urgent
Q1: Important & Urgent
They require immediate, focused attention—but also contribute to our long-term vision, goals, or principles.
These are "do now!" tasks.
They require immediate, focused attention—but also contribute to our long-term vision, goals, or principles.
These are "do now!" tasks.
Q2: Important & Not Urgent
These tasks are your compounders—the tasks that compound long-term value in your life.
This is where you should try to spend most of your time and energy.
These tasks are your compounders—the tasks that compound long-term value in your life.
This is where you should try to spend most of your time and energy.
Q3: Not Important & Urgent
These tasks are the "beware" category—the tasks that can drain time and energy without contributing to our end goals.
These are tasks to delegate.
These tasks are the "beware" category—the tasks that can drain time and energy without contributing to our end goals.
These are tasks to delegate.
Q4: Not Important & Not Urgent
These are the mindless activities like TV and social media that sap our productivity.
Limit your time on these.
Note: If they help you recharge, they may be "important" for you!
These are the mindless activities like TV and social media that sap our productivity.
Limit your time on these.
Note: If they help you recharge, they may be "important" for you!
The ultimate goal?
Spend more time on important tasks that further your long-term values, missions, goals, and principles.
In simple terms:
• Manage top-right
• Invest more time in top-left
• Waste less time in the bottom half
Spend more time on important tasks that further your long-term values, missions, goals, and principles.
In simple terms:
• Manage top-right
• Invest more time in top-left
• Waste less time in the bottom half
The Eisenhower Matrix is a personal favorite—I use it every single day.
Follow me @SahilBloom for more threads on learning, productivity, and decision-making.
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Follow me @SahilBloom for more threads on learning, productivity, and decision-making.
I go deeper on these topics in my newsletter. Join the 110,000+ others and subscribe below! sahilbloom.com/#Newsletter
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