We are talking about another time management technique. This one is called the Eisenhower matrix. This technique is sometimes referred to as the urgent, important matrix.
Today we’re going to talk about why it is so important for you to use something to prioritize your goals. That way, you are working on items to assist you in succeeding in your business.
READ MORE: Ultimate Guide to Time Management
Table of Contents
YouTube of Eisenhower Matrix
What is the Urgent-Important Matrix?
This is a time management technique that you can use based upon prioritization so that you can determine what is truly important and urgent that needs to get done.
This is using a quadrant system that determines urgency and importance based upon your goals.
Grab your FREE worksheets to try out this method for yourself.
History of the Eisenhower Matrix
This time management technique is named after Dwight D Eisenhower. Dwight was a general in the army and needed to prioritize the many tasks that he was responsible for each day.
So he came up with this method of using quadrants to determine the most important and urgent things that he needed to tackle each day.
This technique allowed him to make split-second decisions when needed. This then became known as the urgent-important matrix.
Who is it for?
This time management technique works best for those with many conflicting priorities.
If you are someone who has a hard time making quick decisions, or you need a little extra help learning where to focus your attention and energy, then this may work well for you.
This is a great system to allow you to determine your time management and use it effectively to prioritize both life and business schools.
Figuring out what tasks are actually priorities will help you manage your time most effectively. This is harder than it sounds. That is why I’ve created a workbook to help you figure this all out. Let’s get your actual business and life priorities straightened out.
Tools Needed
You need a piece of paper. Add lines to the paper so it’s split into 4 equal sections also known as quadrants. These quadrants help you determine where to put your tasks. Each quadrant should then be worked on as things are completed form the most urgent and important items down the list.
Execution of the Eisenhower Matrix
How you use the Eisenhower matrix can really be broken down into four different sections.
The planning phase, the prioritizing phase, the delegating and deleting phase, and scheduling.
In the planning phase, we’re really trying to determine what are all the tasks that need to be done.
The next phase, which is to prioritize, focuses on putting those tasks into quadrants. Which quadrant they belong to is based upon the urgency and importance needed to complete the job.
Once you have your quadrants figured out, there will be a section for delegating tasks as needed or deleting and stopping the tasks that are really just taking up useless energy and time from your schedule.
And then, the last phase is scheduling. So doing the actual work, having a time management technique only works if you’re actually going to put in the work.
Advantages
One of the main advantages is that you’re going to find is this time management technique it’s really easy to use.
It’s easy to use a piece of paper to put, you know, two lines across it to determine your quadrants. And you can also quickly adapt as different things come up throughout the day. You can move tasks from one quadrant to another.
As you use this method, it also becomes easier. So that’s another advantage to using the Eisenhower matrix because you will be able to quickly then determine what priority, what quadrant those tasks fall into without giving it all away.
Disadvantages
One of the disadvantages of this technique is that you may find that you’re not prioritizing things based on their true urgency and impact.
So you have to be really honest with yourself and determine where that fits in the matrixes you put together.
The ultimate goal is to really ensure that everything isn’t urgent and important, you really want to make sure that you are being more proactive when using this technique versus reactive to the situation.
And if you’re not prioritizing things correctly, or you’re constantly finding that everything falls into the urgent and important quadrant of the matrix, then this technique is probably not the best one for you.
You want to make sure that you’re purposeful and intentional with your Time.
Eisenhower Matrix Wrap Up
This time management technique is really all about making sure that you’re prioritizing things correctly, both in your personal life and in your business life. You want to ensure that you’re focusing on things that support your goals. Not on the things that are really just taking up extra time to make you busy, but instead are supporting what you want to be doing and how you want to be spending your time.
I would love to hear what you think of this method. Please pop on over to my Facebook Page and let me know whether or not you think the Eisenhower matrix would help you.
If this isn’t the right one or you want information on other time management techniques click out these other blog posts.
