The Eisenhower Decision Matrix: How to Distinguish Between Urgent and Important Tasks

Nelson Vergel · Feb 1, 2014

I have always loved how simple and effective his table of priorities is to save us time and make us focus on what's important. I did this once using post sticks on a door. Illuminating to say the least.

Read this article from the guys at the Art of Manliness, a favorite website of mine.

"Do you sometimes feel like you spend all your time managing crises? That your life is basically spent putting out one proverbial fire after another?At the end of the day do you feel completely sapped and drained of energy, and yet can’t point to anything you accomplished of real significance?"

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2013/10/23/eisenhower-decision-matrix/

Nelson Vergel · Feb 1, 2014

From the article mentioned above:

According to Covey, we should seek to spend most of our time on Q2 activities, as they're the ones that provide us lasting happiness, fulfillment, and success. Unfortunately, there are a couple key challenges that keep us from investing enough time and energy into Q2 tasks:

You don't know what's truly important to you. If you don't have any idea what values and goals matter most to you, you obviously won't know what things you should be spending your time on to reach those aims! Instead, you'll latch on to whatever stimuli and to-dos are most urgent. If you feel like you're lacking a life's mission or aren't sure what your core values are, I highly recommend reading our articles on developing a life plan as well asdefining your core values.

Present bias. As just discussed, we all have an inclination to focus on whatever is most pressing at the moment. Doing so is our default mode. It's hard to get motivated to do something when there isn't a deadline looming over our head. Departing from this fallback position takes willpower and self-discipline – qualities that don't come naturally and must be actively cultivated and expressed.

Because Q2 activities aren't pressing for our attention, we typically keep them forever on the backburner of our lives and tell ourselves, “I'll get to those things ‘someday' after I've taken care of this urgent stuff.” We even put off figuring out what's most important in life, which of course only perpetuates a cycle where all we ever take care of are the most urgent to-dos on our list.

But “someday” will never come; if you're waiting to do the important stuff until your schedule clears up a little, trust me when I say that it won't. You'll always feel about as busy as you are now, and if anything, life just gets busier as you get older (at least until you retire).