(001) Productivity: The Eisenhower matrix
Focus on what matters
Definition
The Eisenhower matrix, also called time management matrix, is a tool dedicated to prioritize tasks. It helps you to focus on the important and the urgent ones. The Eisenhower matrix is an easy to use decision-making tool enabling you to keep your focus on the tasks that bring the highest return.
The Eisenhower matrix derives from a quote from Dwight Eisenhower:Â
"I have two kinds of problems, the urgent and the important. The urgent are not important, and the important are never urgent." (1)
Dwight Eisenhower was the American General who successfully lead the invasion of Normandy during the World War II in 1944. He served as the 34th President of the United States from 1953 to 1961.
Matrix
Now, have a detailed look at my drawing. 🤓
The Eisenhower matrix is made of quadrants (four quadrants... hence the word "quadrant" 🤔). Each quadrant has a unique combination of attributes, being either "important" or "not important" and being either "urgent" or "not urgent". The quadrants are ranked by order of priority.
Now, associate each of your tasks to a unique quadrant. Then, proceed as follows:
1. Do: Do these tasks now. They are both important and urgent.
2. Decide: Decide when to do these important tasks. Schedule a dedicated time in your calendar.
3. Delegate: If possible, don't do these tasks. Delegate those to someone else.
4. Delete: Don't do these tasks. Don't waste your time but rather focus on the important ones.
Examples of tasks per quadrant:
1. Do: crises, pressing problems, firefighting, major scrap and rework, deadline-driven projects.
2. Decide: prevention, production capability activities, relationship building, recognizing new opportunities, planning, re-creation.
3. Delegate: interruptions, some calls, some mails, some reports, some meetings, proximate pressing matters, popular activities, some scrap & rework.
4. Delete: trivia, busywork, some mails, some phone calls, time-wasters, pleasant activities.
The Eisenhower matrix is mentioned in a diversity of personal development, project management and productivity books. For example, Stephen R. Covey mentions the time management matrix in his book "The 7 habits of highly effective people". It is part of the habit 3 "Put first things first, principles of personal management" in part two "Private victory" (3). Mikael Krogerus and Roman Tschäppeler mention the Eisenhower matrix in their book entitled "The decision book - Fifty models for strategic thinking", chapter 1 "How to improve yourself" (4).
I hope you'll leverage this efficient tool to be more productive on what matters and to stop doing what does not matter to improve your work and your life.
References
(1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_management#The_Eisenhower_Method
(2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwight_D._Eisenhower
(3) Stephen R. Covey, "The 7 habits of highly effective people", Part two, Habit 3
(4) Mikael Krogerus, Roman Tschäppeler, "The decision book - Fifty models for strategic thinking", Chapter 1