Prioritisation is essentially a two-step process:
- You figure out what’s most important
- You spend your time working on that
Sounds simple enough, right? It is!
It is also a powerful tool to have in your arsenal, even if just used on its own. You will likely boost your overall productivity with some basic prioritisation alone. The real magic comes when you combine it with short-burst productivity, (read more here).
One potential issue is that while prioritising your tasks is simple in theory; it can be easier said than done if you don’t know where to start.
Luckily, there have been many different systems created to help you with prioritisation. One of the most widely known and used reputedly comes from General Eisenhower himself:
The Important-Urgent Matrix
You might be familiar with this concept if you read Stephen Covey’s book “7 Habits of Highly Effective People”. In his book, Covey repackaged a technique known to be used by General Eisenhower. This technique is also commonly referred to as The Eisenhower Box, Eisenhower Matrix, or Time Management Matrix.
The Important-Urgent Matrix organises your tasks by importance (how critical this task is to your goals) and urgency (when you need to complete this task).
This technique is an important exercise because, without guidance, we are terrible at figuring out what we should be doing next. We are so terrible that there is even a psychological name for it: The Mere-Urgency Effect.
Researchers found that we typically choose the most time-sensitive task, even if that task isn’t nearly as rewarding as something less urgent. One of the most nefarious aspects of this effect is that people who already feel busy were most susceptible to it. Self-described busy people were significantly more likely to choose urgent tasks (and their far lower rewards) since they are already fixated on time.
The bright side of this research is that we can counter the Mere-Urgency Effect if people take the time to consider the long-term consequences of their choices. That is where the Important-Urgent Matrix comes in!
The tool is simple to use. You need to draw a square and then break it into four equal quadrants. You can do this in a notebook, a whiteboard, or using an app, but you want to end up with something like this (big enough to write in):
You likely see how simple this technique is at its core already.
Now it is up to you. You need to figure out how your daily tasks, to-dos, and long-term and short-term goals fit in this matrix.
There are a couple of important things to consider first, though.
The idea of urgency vs. importance isn’t always easy to decipher. Since Covey popularised this technique in his book, it seems appropriate to consider how he breaks each term down:
Urgent: These tasks require immediate action. These can be tasks you know you need to deal with or can pop up and demand immediate attention (also commonly referred to as “putting out fires.”) There should be consequences for not completing these tasks in a timely fashion.
Important: These tasks contribute to your long-term goals and values. They require planning and taking well-thought-out actions. What is important may vary from individual to individual.
Knowing that should make it easier for you to distribute your tasks properly. To help you even further, you will find a flushed-out version of the Important-Urgent Matrix below. This version includes how to treat the tasks in each quadrant and some example tasks that fit each.
The Important-Urgent Matrix likely makes a lot more sense to you now. Here are a couple of further tips to help you use it properly:
Use an app to track your time for a few weeks. This way, you will likely find some “not important and not urgent” tasks that you can try to limit.
Urgent tasks are going to pop up regularly. Deal with them as well as you can. If you feel like you are constantly drowning in these tasks, you might need to make a significant change in your life somewhere.
Honor your personal preferences. When you decide what’s important or not, focus on things important to you or your loved ones.
Schedule some time weekly to reflect and review your matrix. What’s working? What isn’t? Is there anything I need to add or remove?
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