A to-do list is one of your most important time-management tools, and one of the most effective ways to stay productive. Once you have made a to-do list, review it and determine which things are most important, which things need to be done but are not urgent, and what can wait until later.
Prioritizing Your Tasks
Former United States President Dwight Eisenhower once said, “What is important is seldom urgent and what is urgent is seldom important.” He based his time management around this idea. Other personal productivity experts, including Stephen Covey and Laura Stack, have brought this idea into the mainstream in recent years.
Eisenhower’s matrix is pictured on the next page. It can help us determine what is urgent, what is important, and most importantly, how we should be spending our time.
- Important is defined as an activity that will help you complete your goals.
- Urgent is defined as something that has a deadline attached to it.
Quadrant 1: Urgent and Important
These are the things that need to get done NOW. This is the payroll deadline, dealing with an upset client, and completing your income tax return. Ignoring these items will result in major disasters.
This is where many people find that their time gets eaten up. “I cannot control when clients get upset!” you might say. “Dealing with an interruption like that always throws my day off kilter.”
You are certainly right about one thing: these situations often cannot be controlled. However, their frequency and impact can often be reduced by employing activities in Quadrant 2.
Quadrant 2: Important but Not Urgent
These are the overarching priorities that, while not always urgent, are essential for your long-term success. This is where tasks such as weekly reviews, goal setting, and information management come into play. Investing time in these areas benefits yourself, others, and your future. By focusing on these activities, you can reduce the number of urgent and important tasks (Quadrant 1 items), thereby lowering stress, minimizing crises, and enhancing your sense of control.
Quadrant 3: Urgent but Not Important
These are the time-wasters that can suck the life out of anyone’s day. Unnecessary meetings, drop-in visitors, improperly delegated projects, and pointless reports all fall into this category.
Quadrant 4: Not Urgent and Not Important
These activities tend to be the biggest time-wasters. Spending excessive time lingering over coffee, endlessly browsing the internet, watching TV aimlessly, or engaging in gossip at lunch can consume valuable time without yielding meaningful outcomes. Be mindful of these productivity pitfalls. Genuine relaxation should rejuvenate you, not leave you feeling disengaged or unproductive.
