How to use it
The Eisenhower Matrix has four quadrants along two axes: importance and urgency.
For every activity or task, ask yourself: It is important or not? Is it urgent or not?
Based on the answer, place the activity/task in the right quadrant. The quadrant determines what you should do with the task:
1. Important and urgent → Do it
- These are the tasks that you want to do as soon as possible.
- Crises, pressing problems and other things where not acting now has negative consequences.
2. Important but not urgent → Schedule it
- Find a time for these tasks and do them then.
- This quadrant is typically where deep work happens – tasks that contribute to your projects or long-term goals.
3. Urgent but not important → Delegate it
- If you can, find someone who can do these tasks for you.
- If you can't delegate it, schedule it but always try to do the important-but-not-urgent tasks first.
- These are often administrative tasks or things that have deadlines but aren't critical.