The Eisenhower Matrix method is a solution to task and time management challenges that may occur due to poor prioritization. Read on to understand how this strategy works.
Understanding the Eisenhower Matrix?
The Eisenhower Matrix is also known as the Urgent-Important Matrix, Time Management Matrix, Eisenhower Box, and Eisenhower Method. It is a decision making concept that allows you to distribute tasks based on the urgency and importance principle.
This prioritizing matrix is simple, yet robust, and you can use it to remove irrelevant activities in your schedule and focus on achieving your set long-term goals. The urgent-important matrix is ideal for you if you:
- Often rush to beat last-minute deadlines or handle daily crises
- Have important tasks that require your immediate attention but no energy or time to work on them
- Feel ineffective and inefficient despite being busy
- Can neither say no, nor delegate tasks
Why does the Eisenhower Matrix Stand Out?
Today, there are numerous task management tools and methods available, but the Eisenhower decision matrix is one of the best. The reason for this is that while it comes with simplicity, it has endured trends and still generates excellent results.
What is the Origin of the Eisenhower Method?
This productivity tool derived its name from Dwight David Eisenhower, who also invented it. Dwight served in the United States Army and was also the 34th president of the United States. During World War II Dwight served in the US Army as a five-star general. He was also the Supreme Commander responsible for devising the strategy for Europe’s Allied invasion.
At some point, Dwight D. Eisenhower said: “I have two kinds of problems, the urgent and the important. The urgent are not important, and the important are never urgent.” It is worth mentioning that the popularity of the Eisenhower Matrix increased after it appeared in the book; the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey.
The author restructured Dwight’s decision-making ideas into a task prioritization template, which is today the Eisenhower Matrix. Dwight D. Eisenhower continuously made hard decisions on which of his numerous tasks he should handle every day.
He would later invent the well-known Eisenhower Method. By adopting Eisenhower’s prioritizing, planning, scheduling, and delegating you will begin to understand what you should do to be:
- More productive
- Accomplish your goals
Using the Eisenhower Matrix
This system allows you to break up your tasks into four priority levels. However, you will need to drop the not urgent/not important level immediately. As a result, you will only remain with three groups of measurable activities to do. Below is a breakdown of these tasks.
1. Urgent and Important Activities (Do, or First Quadrant)
Activities in this group should get the highest priority level. Strive to complete them on the same day, and not later than the following day. You will need to complete tasks in this group to avoid adverse effects.
An example of first quadrant short-term roles can be deadlines, crises, or urgent tasks. First quadrant activities are the most energy and time-sensitive assignments of the day. To complete them, you need to adopt the “eat the frog” principle. With this principle, you will have the motivation to do the next activity on your list after completing the first time.
The “eat the frog” principle is an ideal way of disciplining yourself. Completing the difficult tasks on your to-do list also gives you a feeling of fulfillment. All the activities in this category are urgent and important. Here are some tips to help you do them with ease.
- Start working on complex functions in the morning to ease their completion. Completing them first also motivates you to continue doing the other tasks on your list throughout the day.
- Adopt the Pomodoro technique if you want to focus on these tasks more productively.
- Designate a place where you can note down your important activities every day to improve your planning habits. A robust online tool can help you achieve this strategy with ease.
2. Important but not Urgent Activities (The Decide Quadrant)
Tasks in this group are long-term activities and goals. While they are crucial, they do not come with a deadline. You should schedule them in a timely way, executing the most urgent ones after completing the tasks in the Do quadrant.
As an efficient time manager, you should attempt to handle most of your work in the Decide quadrant. Doing so helps you finish important, but not urgent types of tasks on a date that is convenient for you.
Distributing your assignments in this way is an ideal way of preventing stress and burnout. Remember, just because tasks in this category are not urgent does not mean you should not set realistic deadlines. Plan and include these tasks in your weekly or daily to-do list.
Not Important but Urgent Tasks (the Delegate Quadrant)
You can choose to delegate or outsource activities in this group to other professionals. While you can execute them yourself, you should only do so after completing the tasks in your first and second quadrant. To achieve success with these tasks, you want to:
- Monitor delegated tasks through phone calls, virtual meetings, or Email. If you pass on the roles to in-house staff, then you can hold regular meetings to track down the progress.
- For your delegating process to succeed, you need to be in a position to hold someone accountable. In this case, a tracking strategy comes in handy, without which your efforts will be fruitless.
Remember, no organization wants to pile on tasks with no one to do them. Today, there are numerous time and task management tools you can adopt to facilitate the tracking process. Take time to choose one that best fits your needs and helps you achieve ultimate productivity.
3. Not Important and Not Urgent Activities (The Delete Quadrant)
Tasks in this group fall in the Delete quadrant because they are irrelevant and you should get rid of them. However, this approach may vary based on your understanding of importance and urgency. Still, many people opine that only time wasters would bother doing these tasks.
Often, activities in this category make you unproductive. An example of activities in this category includes browsing the internet on not so critical activities like social media or irrelevant emails. You can manage tasks in this category by:
- Adopting a robust planner where you can write Delete tasks on your not-to-do activities
- Dedicating specific periods during the day when you can answer phone calls or respond to emails. Resist the urge to engage in these activities out of the set time.
- Adopt efficient tools that you can use to block social media. Doing so helps you focus on the task at hand without getting distracted during working hours.
How to Practically use the Eisenhower Method
To enhance productivity and become more informed, you need a robust strategy to avoid the appropriate quadrants. In this case, these are quadrants 3 and 4. You will also need to reduce the activities in the first quadrant and create a way to execute more tasks in quadrant 2.
Accepting assignments that add no value to gain flexibility in the workplace is ineffective and can have severe effects. Read along to understand how to use the quadrant of the Eisenhower Matrix practically.
· Understand Your Goals and Mission First
Goal-setting and understanding what you want to achieve are critical factors because they give you a reference location. You can use this reference point to compare and validate all your future activities.
Determine your goals and understand your mission before developing tasks and planning how to achieve them. This idea involves ticking activities off your to-do list and learning how to open your full potential, and put it to prime use.
· Avoid Procrastination
With your goals and a to-do list at hand, do not procrastinate. Adopt the Pareto concept to utilize and plan your tasks in the quadrants of the Eisenhower Matrix. In the beginning, you may have more functions in the first quadrant. However, you can complete them through proper planning and implementation, and have enough time to complete the activities in the second quadrant.
A practical example would be scheduling both professional and personal activities in the same category because the two are different. If you plan them in separate groups, finding a reason not to do any of them will be easy. Try to plan your activities for a week and revise your program every evening.
· Delegate
Delegating is not only a form of empowerment, but it also allows you to achieve much more. You can choose to outsource or even train people in your team. Regardless of the method you choose, it is critical to give clear goals. Doing so enables your employees to work independently and makes the review process easy.
Delegating more tasks to your team empowers them to focus on decision making while giving you a chance to attend to crucial tasks. Remember, coaching, and providing feedback to your team helps facilitate the learning process.
Apart from setting clear goals, you want to listen actively to make sure everybody in your team knows what you expect from them. You can delegate many of the tasks in quadrant 3. Further, you can also identify and delegate some of the work in the second quadrant.
· Be Flexible both in Your Reasoning and Action
Any principle you adopt should allow you to progress in your quest to make the ultimate decisions. Avoid being rigid, especially when changes take place at work, and learn to adjust your priorities with this method.
Make sure your priorities align with the goals of your organization and team. Flexibility in your reasoning and action is critical in putting Eisenhower Matrix into proper use.
· Review Your Productivity Progress
Create some time to assess and understand the impact of the Eisenhower Method in your organization. What gains have you made? Is there anything you could have done better? This type of self-administered learning is beneficial because it allows you to utilize the Eisenhower Matrix based on your preferences.
Taking feedback and direct reports from your peers or supervisor helps you understand people’s perception of the changes. Did the people in your team observe any changes in the execution of activities among themselves? Do they appreciate these changes? Is your team confident about achieving results?
Do the tasks completed align with the set company goals? These direct questions can be robust as they bridge the rift between your perception of these changes and their impact on other people. Learning from your team helps you manage your barriers while giving your team productivity wins.
Key Takeaways
- You can incorporate the Eisenhower Matrix in your personal time management schedule.
- The Eisenhower method may not be practical for everyone, but it is a crucial starting point. Utilize it as a stepping stone to establish a personalized technique that works best for you.
- This time management matrix helps you understand the main principles of scheduling, prioritizing, and delegating. It is a simple solution that allows you to complete important tasks and boost productivity.
- Invest sufficient time for important but not urgent tasks. Doing so is better than waiting for the work to pile up and become overwhelming.