Important but not urgent. Eisenhuer Matrix - Principle of Effective Time Management

On the weekend it was planned by the sea of \u200b\u200bplans, but in the end you spent time watching the series and did nothing? Or maybe you were killed by tasks at work, and avalanche of urgent cases increases every day? Surely you have heard that the compilation of lists of cases can move the situation from the dead point. But sometimes it does not particularly help and listed in the TO-DO list of tasks and remain unfulfilled. Why? Because the list is made incorrectly and / or you follow cases not in order. Solve these problems will help matrix Eisenhauershe is - matrix priorities. It is about her that we suggest to talk.

Eisenhower priority matrix - what is it?

This tool for the preparation of priorities and time management is named after its inventor, one of the American presidents - Dwight David Eisenhawer. The main idea laid in the priority matrix is \u200b\u200bas follows: tasks are sorted by four groups Depending on the two criteria - urgency and importance of their implementation. Wherein not all urgent things are important and not all important matters. In order to successfully cope with the tasks, you need to understand which group to attribute or another, and this will tell you when it takes.

This method - when it is properly used, will allow you to complete all tasks on time and avoid the cases cling to each other, forming an avalanche of unresolved problems.

How to make a list of cases based on the priority matrix?

Repeat: In order to schedule an action plan in accordance with the Eisenhower Matrix, all tasks from the list must be divided into 4 main categories:

• category A.: Important and urgent;
• category B.: Important, but indefinition;
• category C.: urgent, but notable;
• category D.: Inderation and unimportant.

It is convenient to spread the sheet of paper into four large squares and designate each of them with the corresponding color and the letter, after which you enter the tasks. We will analyze all categories more detailed, with examples.

1. Category A.

Important and urgent cases - situations when lit is burning Or come fors major circumstances. Today is the last day to pay mortgages this month, the report for the boss had to be sent yesterday, and in the evening you go to the doctor because of acute tooth pain - this is all category A. If you will competently distribute your affairs, then this item will be contain the least tasks, and even better, if it is not empty.

2. Category B.

Important, but indefinite - They must be the main part of the to-do-sheet. These are the things that tomorrow-day after tomorrow can move to the category A, if you do not fulfill them today. They are important, but there is a small temporary reserve, and they can be shortwood for a while. These include daily working tasks, Replacing another working, but already started dripping the crane in the bathroom, the advance purchase of tickets for the concert. Also in the same category include affairs related to your global life tards . For example, if you want to open your own business or find new job And for this you need to master the new skill, learn another one foreign language, take an additional order to form capital, etc.

3. Category C.

Urgent but notable things. This is what follows finish today, because the next day will be late or inappropriate. Group plans with can be aimed at creating comfortable living conditions and establish social connections.

This includes timely congratulations to friends and colleagues with holidays or a trip to the cottage to help parents to collect crumpled berries. Another example is the purchase of a new TV with a big discount. If it were not for the action, you would have purchased it much later, and so, if you are going in a short time, you will get the desired more promptly and cheaper. In other words, the implementation of actions from the category C is noncritical, but better and more comfortable to do them on time.

4. Category D.

Independent and unimportants. The most insidious category in which mainly includes "Chronofagi", or "Time Killers" (literally "time eaters", "time killers"). To this item you can include movie view, telephone conversations with friends, reading books, backbone news feed. To resist the desire to perform these actions instead of tasks from the first three categories, you need to have a well-developed willpower, be able to take yourself in hand and concentrate on what you need, and not on what I want.

After you distribute your affairs on the four columns, start performing them from the first item. If you learn how to follow the priority matrix, you will not only cope with the tasks on time, but also leave time for entertainment - for indispensable and unimportant tasks.

1. At first can be difficult to distribute cases. To make the process simpler, ask yourself questions: Is this task important? Is the business in my life priorities? Will his failure to fulfill his failure? " If yes - then it's important. To understand, urgent whether the case, think if it will lose relevance in the near future? If yes - then the task is urgent.

2. Try to leave a list of category A empty - Remember that all unfulfilled plans from the group b are connected here.. In addition, various force majeure fall into the same group, which you could not foresee in advance. Repeat that ideally, with the correct distribution of time, urgent and important tasks should not be. The exception will be the same force majeure as well as:

• health-related plans;
• actions on which the implementation of important goals depends (if you want to go abroad in the summer, the passport is better to issue in advance);
• cases, the failure of which in the future threatens to turn around the troubles (not paid in the time paid fine may interfere with the border).

3.
Category B - for most promising tasks. Statistics show that those who pay for targets from this category special attention are more successful, more confidently go up the career ladder and, accordingly, earn more. This is explained by the fact that due to the timely execution of cases (in a calm pace, without a rush), concentration and ability to arrange priorities a person can fully show their talents and think about one or another step.

4. Some tasks from the category with it would be more correct to rank with distractionsSince they can reduce the efficiency of your work and eat quite a long time, although they are notable. This includes congratulations to distant relatives, buying a new sofa and other cases of not essential. It is important to be able to distinguish them from Category B cases and, if possible, delegate their execution to other people.

5. Tasks d, or eaters of Timecan safely call unproductive. However, you can take advantage of leisure hours. For example, read a good intellectual book instead of the boulevard novel, do sports when you want an emotional discharge. If it does not manage to resist the temptation to spend time on something useless, give such spending to a minimum: for this, first follow the tasks from other categories.

When you master the principle of operation of the Eisenhower Matrix, you will not only become successful, but also a more balanced and optimistic person, as you will stop worrying because of annoying, but important trifles that did not have enough time before.

"Urgent cases, as a rule, are not the most important, and important - Not the most urgent "D.Aizenhauer

Today's post will be the first methodology for analyzing personal time and organizing its own activity in the near future.

The so-called "Matrix of Eisenhower Affairs" is a classification of any upcoming or current affairs on the criteria "urgency" and "importance".

Thus, four groups of cases are distinguished:

1. Important and urgent cases;
2. Important and indefinition;
3. Unimportant and urgent cases;
4. Unimportant and indigest affairs.

Depending on the combination of criteria, each of the cases is treated according to one of the options: "Make sure it yourself", "make a reliable performer yourself", "necessarily overrun", "not do".

The first group (important and urgent) areWhen an overlapping of which in your life there are inspection and stress phenomena. These are cases that require the execution "immediately".

As a rule, such cases include concluding projects, crisis phenomena, descended from above urgent tasks.

Cases related to this group, as a rule, play a key role in assessing your actions as a specialist. For this reason, it is not possible to ignore them.

The presence of more than one case from this category at the same time is an indicator that in the near future work will begin to take extra personal time.

In the second group (important and indefinition) Cases and projects that are aimed at developing your project: Analytics of implemented events and the introduction of new ideas. This also includes measures to ensure the viability of the project in a competitive environment.

The decision of these cases requires a responsible relationship, because in the future their results will affect your future, and in which the situation will be the project in which you participate.

However, the main difference between this group of cases from "important and urgent", which, in the presence of competent assistants, you can pass part of the events, leaving the reserve of time for compulsory control and correcting possible errors.

"Unimportant, urgent" cases - What is not important for the final result, but requires an immediate solution.

From the point of view of time saving, these cases are extremely unprofitable to do independently, since the result that will be achieved as it would be careful, it will not be particularly valuable for the main activity. Such cases need to be reversed necessarily and in no case do they do themselves.

Group 4 - "Indecent, Nevable" -which can be described by an excellent epithet that has widespread among time management coaches: "Eaters of Time."

This requires all phone calls, questions and activities that are mainly generated by your familiar (relatives, colleagues, buddies).

These cases do not matter for those projects in which you participate, however, you are forced to react to them, distracting from more important work.

In order to start using this technique in practice, try each your working day to start with the design of all your current affairs in the form of the "Eisenhuer Matrix".

• Strive to reduce to 1-2 number of projects from the category "Important and Urgent", which you need to do yourself; More than their amount working time It is perhaps unable to accommodate.
• Stwind to all taskshaving strategic importance were in a square with the status "important and not urgently"; exactly this status Affairs, allows them to perform them on time, and qualitatively. In the event that you are implementing a project with the status "Important and not urgently", but can not cope on your own - attract exclusively those who are competent in this issue. Also reserve time to control and correct possible errors!
• Cases "Nevable, but urgent" — transfer Own Assistants Or, if there is an opportunity, give those who specialize in such matters.
• "Time Eaters" from their work Try to exclude completely. Do not focus on them: Teach them close to SMS to your working time (or turn off your personal phone); Avoid idle conversations, strive to shy away from meetings that do not carry anything, etc.

Suppose you thoughtfully approached the wording of the target, overcame the internal resistance in the form of fear and procrastinatsi, found excellent motivation to achieve the result. You are active and full of energy! However, after some time you notice with surprise, which is honest and stubbornly worked out the planned 8 - 12 hours, you cannot accurately determine

• what is already done from the scheduled;
• what an intermediate result is obtained;
• as far as you have become closer to achieving the goal, which is in front of them.

The picture turns out quite depressing: your day is full of worries, you are all the time busy, and the result does not get closer. Instead of satisfaction from the fact that you managed to go a few more steps towards the goal, you only feel fatigue and disappointment.

"The problem of goal setting"

In the time management, such a phenomenon is called "Issues of goaling." Faced with her, you begin to feel like a famous hero of an ancient Greek myth - Sisyphoma, who is doomed every day to rolling down the huge boulder, driving down at the moment when the goal is achieved. Such a magnificent boulder in your case is a heavy daily work, the volume of which does not decrease, whatever efforts you have attached.

Arrange priorities

Although the problem with which you encountered is really serious and large-scale, it is quite realistic to solve it. But where to start? First, before starting to act, you need to figure out what exactly you want to achieve at this stage and rank tasks depending on their priority.

Do not start working on the task before you define exactly, to what purpose and how much its execution promotes you.

Of course, there is a whole category of affairs, which can be chaotic, according to the principle "found-done." It is even useful in its own way: such activity creates a specific attitude and helps to join the main work without any problems. Such cases can be attributed, for example, domestic "teaching": wash the dishes, wipe the dust, sweep the floor, etc. The list of such daily routine tasks is small, besides, the plus of their implementation is that you practically instantly see the result of your efforts and After completion, it is not only a sense of satisfaction from the work done, but also quite tangible physical comfort.

However, if it comes to those tasks that need to be solved during work on a large-scale project, a list of cases can become practically "dimensionless". The chaotic strategy is not suitable here - after all, you are limited in time to fulfill the entire project. It means that the risk, solving a lot of secondary questions, just do not have time to do something really important to achieve the ultimate goal. Therefore, before grabbing everything at once, highlight a few minutes to think.

Range current tasks

Think of your actions - the idea is good, but I want to do it not only effectively, but also quickly. For this purpose, a well-known method is suitable, which is actively used in time management. It is known as an Eisenhower matrix. In different sources are offered several various methods use this method. It seems to us the easiest and rational one that will be discussed further. He perfectly pointed itself as a convenient tool for practical applicationSo I am pleased to share them with you.

The matrix is \u200b\u200bthe name of the 34 President of the United States Dwight Eisenhower, the former Army General. It is for him that the invention is attributed to this method, but, most likely, the merit of Eisenhuer is that at one time he expressed his thought: "Not all urgent cases are important, and not all important things are urgent." Quote has gained popularity and, of course, formed the basis of the idea of \u200b\u200bthe matrix.

With the help of an Eisenhuer matrix, you can quickly make a sort of even a rather long list of cases. To do this, write down the current tasks (best, using the GTD methodology), and then appreciate each of them in total on two criteria:

• Is it important? (well no)
• Is it urgently? (well no)

As a result, all your list items, depending on the degree of importance / urgency, can be placed in one of the 4 quadrants of the Eisenhower matrix, which looks like this:

It is worth noting that the matrix in various time management systems has different names, as well as the interpretation of quadrants can be somewhat different from different authors. So, Stephen Kovi, the author of the book "7 Skills of High Efficient People" calls it URGENCY \\ Importance Matrix. Detailed recommendations for its use, he gives in his work. In other sources, this method is called a visual option "Rules 4D", which we will tell a little later.

How to work with quadrants

The Eisenhower Matrix has not only many names of names, but also a lot of interpretations of how to do with tasks placed in each of the quadrants. We offer more details on two interpretations, and the first of them seems more convenient for everyday use.

Method Do-plan-delegate-eliminate

Actually, the name of this method already carries information on how to do with the tasks that you put in each of the 4 quadrants. Let us dwell on this several more.

Quadrant 1: urgent and important

These are cases that require immediate actions, otherwise it will happen irreparable: a fire, a bug that can block the release, or something like that. The perfect option is when this quadrant remains empty. In extreme cases, it is possible to place tasks from quadrant number 2 if unforeseen circumstances suddenly demanded their urgent decision.

Quadrant 2: Important, but not urgent

This is a quadrant for the most productive tasks. They are not necessary to solve this second, so each one can wisely plan and implement qualitatively. Working on the realization of tasks from the second quadrant, you are as a result of the very productivity, the absence of which led you to despair.

To further optimize the work within this quadrant, you can rank the tasks placed in it, on the same principle of importance / urgency. So you can first pay attention to more urgent and important (not "burning"!) Tasks, and then calmly move to solving less urgent and important (but still meaningful to achieving the goal) issues.

Quadrant 3: not important, but urgent

Cases from this quadrant are the most distracting factors that violate the calm workflow course and interfere with the ultimate goal. This is a long telephone conversation, fruitless discussions that have no ultimate goal, the need to distract to help someone from colleagues, etc. Such cases are recommended whenever possible to pass one who can cope with them instead of you. main idea - Do not fulfill them yourself. You can delegate them or give up their execution.

Quadrant 4: Not important and not urgent

About the affairs that were in this quadrant can simply forget. As a rule, these are some of your shortening desires that have nothing to do with the goals. If such a quadrant turns out to be empty - this is the perfect option. But even if there are some tasks that you still would like to fulfill, postpone the decision of this issue on an indefinitely long term and return to them after the main goal will be achieved, but for now it's just worth spending and time.

Rule "4d"

In fairness I must say that the "4D" rule in various interpretations does not necessarily describe the quadrants of the matrix, which we are talking about. But one of them fully corresponds to their descriptions above, and it can be used when working with quadrants:

Do, Delegate, Defer, Or Dump (Do (Urgently), instructions (other), postpone (for a while), throw).
Do, Decide, Delegate, Delete (do (now), decide (in what sequence), instructions, delete).

The main advantage of the described method is that it allows you to quickly rank any number of tasks. In addition, the matrix

• Helps visually submit the amount of scheduled affairs and the degree of their importance / urgency. Thus, you get the opportunity to effectively use your time.
• With it, you can easily share the tasks of groups on the basis of only 2 simple criteria. If it were not for this condition, it would be much more difficult to distribute the tasks of quads.

Check the efficiency of the matrix in practice

It is possible to use the Eisenhower Matrix not only to determine, the solution to which tasks bring you to the outlined result, and which - it creates obstacles to the goal. You can use this method and to assess how effective you are in general. So, if all your tasks are placed in the second quadrant, we can say that you have achieved a maximum efficiency.

In addition, the separation of tasks for quadrants allows you to clearly determine where exactly the most of your time and energy goes, and will also tell me how to increase personal performance. For example, seriously think about the delegation of most tasks to other members of the team or stop, finally, spend time and effort on cases, which found a place in quadrant No. 4.

Optimize the use of the Eisenhauer matrix method using applications that already exist in various versions: mobile, web and desktop versions. And in order not to make mistakes in setting goals and determine rational ways to achieve them, use the service SmartProgress. With its help, more than 35,000 goals are already embodied by various people. Have you determined your goal?

What is the Matrix Eisenhuer Dwight David? How did the 34th US President planned? What principle of the organization allowed to cope with a huge number of cases? I'll tell you about all this now.

The basis of the time management is the principle of planning. And the main thing in the planning is the placement of priorities - what cases should begin first, and which followed later.

A very simple and incredibly effective technique was used by the 34th US President, later it was called in honor of his name - the principle of Eisenhuer Dwight David. Everyone understands that the president has a lot of affairs and from correctly planning the time of one person depends on the fate of millions of people.

How did President Eisenhauer come?

That's how - he shared all the tasks of important and urgent. To better understand the method, draw the Eisenhuer Duight David matrix, dividing the square to 4 equal parts. As a result, we will have 4 squares. Now let's sign up each of the following names: it is important that it does not matter, urgently, not urgently.

The essence of the principle of Eisenhauer is, when prioritizing priorities, you must first fulfill all the important and urgent cases. Then important and indefinition. Next, unimportant urgent. And if there is a time to finally be unimportant and indispensable.

What for?

What gives the use of the principle of Eisenhower? Why draw a matrix? Why can not do everything in a row without any problems?

Probably everyone came across a shortage of time - when I want to have all the planned, but it does not work, every day I presents surprises to us and have to correct your plans, refusing the planned recreation, new opportunities for work and so on.

It is impossible to predict unplanned, and therefore we want whether or not, some plans have to cancel. But ... And what if we first make the main tasks, and less significant will leave for later. From which and not to refuse is not so sorry? For example, we will spend time with the family instead of meeting with the client, which is unlikely to agree to cooperation.

This is the answer to the question: "Why sort things." We just do the main thing, and minor postpone and become more successful and more productive through life. After all, urgent, does not mean important and vice versa.

1 square: important and urgently

These include urgent cases, the failure of which can lead to negative consequences. We start all the things of this section T. K. These are the most significant tasks for us, and besides urgent. This section can include: "Emergency operation", "Unplanned meetings", "Dedilan in the delivery of the project".

The main thing is that this square, ideally, should be empty since. Most of the important tasks are not immediately urgent and with proper planning they can be made before they become urgent. All tasks in this square appear for 2 reasons:

- depending on us (internal reasons)What we can affect and this is the greatest share in most cases. For example: a lack of professionalism, motivation, forces, etc. In general, this reason we can remove on our own;

- independent of us (external reasons): When we cannot influence them, for example, force majeure, a sudden pain, an urgent request for help, etc. Ideally, with competent planning, only these reasons should be in a square important and urgently.

In addition, we all understand that urgent things can not always highlight as much time as needed. An example from life - passing exams, if you prepare on the last day, then you can simply not be enough for training. In addition, the work in the Avral mode exhausts, impairs mental and physical condition. Therefore, all important tasks should be performed before they become urgent, that is, it is important to work with the square and not urgently.

2 square: important and not urgently

Regular performance of all tasks from this square is an indicator of your success and productivity. This square includes cases that may wait, but there will be serious negative consequences from their non-compliance.

An important task is different from the unimportant fact that the consequences when they are not fulfilled different. The more important the task, the stronger the negative consequences of its non-compliance. Therefore, we prefer fulfillment first important tasks and only then urgent.

Ideally, all important as urgent and irreference tasks must be fulfilled completely. Among the cases from this area can be noted such as: Tasks for personal Development, care for health, for example: in a timely manner to see a doctor and warn the disease, master the basic skills of English language to increase on work and others, as a rule, these are key tasks that can change your life strongly.

We all understand that you have time to have everything planned, in most cases it is impossible. At least because there are unforeseen circumstances that make serious adjustments to plans. Considering this fact, it is better to make important tasks from which your life is highly depends than notable things. Therefore, it is so important to sort the tasks according to the Eisenhuer rule.

When we properly distribute things and begin work with the most important, it becomes less than Abrals, i.e. we have time to do business until they become urgent. And this is very important because when it does not always have enough time for urgent things - they are turned out unfinished and we are satisfied with the test of our nerves, trying to have time for a term. At the same time, with regular work with a square, it is important and not urgently you can pay for each task just as much time as it requires, as a result, the number of abrashers and stressful situations It will decrease, and the quality of work will grow. By analogy ordinary life It is better to make a timely prevention of the disease than to run and at the end of experiencing severe pain and serious consequences in the future.

3 square: no matter how urgent

It urgently does not mean it is important, many urgent things are better not to do if because of them you will not have time to be important. To properly understand what business is more important, just ask the question: "And what will happen if it is not done." If negative consequences are minimal, then the case is unimportant and proceed to it follows after performing more significant tasks, with non-compliance, which will be more serious negative consequences. The following tasks include the following: Called the colleague and asked to help in an insignificant task, you are offered participation in social. Survey or just familiar came to chat about life.

Minus urgent affairs It is that they interfere with working effectively, since you:

Forced to interrupt with important tasks;

Against the background of urgency, you begin to worry, and emotions prevent the right decisions.

For example, you work with a major project on which your career growth and company income depends on and at this point, colleagues call you and ask for urgently call, print, send a document by mail, etc. Of course, you need to help your colleagues, but all your time. First you need to make important things, and the secondary later, even if they are urgent. Just tell me to colleagues that are busy now, and how to complete the work on an important thing - call back.

If trying to have time for all urgent affairs, then life can turn into permanent zadietot, and because of the turmoil you will experience more and less time to pay important tasks that strongly affect your life.

4 square no matter and urgently

This is the latest list of affairs to which you should start, because it includes the most unnecessary tasks.

But even the most unnecessary affairs can also be divided into 2 parts:

1. Life littlenessSuch things are still valuable, but only if you have done all the other more important tasks of 3 squares. What is the value? For example, to disassemble the challenge on the mezzanine - like a trifle, but nice, or change the leaking faucet in the kitchen, to strengthen the table to not be wound. In general, this kind of task creates your comfort, increase the mood, so up to 4 squares you need to try to get to live more harmoniously and fully.

But if you do these trifles before more important tasks from past 3 squares are made, it will not bring proper satisfaction.

2. Classes of garbage. Computer games, social. Networks, watching TV, Alcohol - All this only takes a precious time. Many will say, but it helps to relax? Yes, undoubtedly, any garbage is relaxing, but not as high quality as a healthy vacation. Computer, tv cannot pass such strong emotions, tactile feelings, odors and other sensations like in real life. Since the computer and TV use fewer senses, then the recovery rate, i.e. recreation decreases. Alcohol is also an ineffective way to rest, t. In addition negative influence For health, after such a holiday in quotes - waste, headache and other trouble.

In general, all bad habits are empty time and from them should be completely abandoned, but this is the perfect case. In reality, each person will have bad habits, since the struggle with them takes time, so all such garbage, like computer games, TV, alcohol, etc. We are in a square no matter and urgently at the bottom of the list of cases.

Practice of Application Matrix Eisenhower Dwight David

Let's draw 4 Warac Eisencaur, we denote every CVTRT letters:

BUT. Important and urgently (red);

B. It is important and not urgently (green);

IN. It does not matter and urgently (blue);

G. It does not matter and urgently (white).

We begin to fulfill all the affairs of the alphabet, i.e., first, the tasks of the "A" point, then "b", "in" and at the end of "g". So far, do not execute the case of the square "A", do not proceed to "b". Then we will not make the item "b" do not begin the task of "B", etc. In general, we work consistently step by step, without changing the order.

And now to practice, let's say we have the following list of incoming cases:

Now sort out the list of incoming tasks, simple, next to each item, the letter of the square to which this task can be attributed.

Now you know where to start to have time to do the main thing. Just first perform cases from the square "A", then "b", then "in" and "g", if there is time.

It is important to evaluate the degree of importance not in the mind, but on a sheet, since it becomes more than 7 + -2, the prioritization is erroneous, since our brain is not intended for such operations in the mind. It is about 7 + -2 cases that we can store in memory, the rest is forgotten. Written on a sheet of tasks, much easier and faster, and most importantly, you can more accurately sort, do not spare time on the record.

You can still rewrite a list into squares for clarity, especially as soon as you begin to apply the Eisenhuer method, but it is optional.

As you already understand the essence Work with the principle of Eisenhower: the separation of tasks and the concentration on the first two squares.

Work in accordance with the principle of Eisenhuer will help reduce the number of abrasions at work and you will have a good time.

P.S. If you have difficulties or questions on the article read, as well as on topics: Psychology (bad habits, experiences, etc.), sales, business, time management, etc. Please ask them, I will try to help. There is still advice on Skype.

P.P.S. You can also pass online training "How to get 1 hour of extra time." Write comments, your additions;)

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Why is it so difficult to make a choice between priority and secondary tasks? Research of the neurologist Antonio Damacio show that decision making is inextricably linked with emotions. Therefore, it is not surprising that anxiety and depression are often characterized as the status of trafficking in a deadlock and the inability to make decisions. The use of simple tools like the Eisenhuer matrix helps not just understand the affairs, but also reduce the emotional load. Over time, having learned the principles of this concept, you can learn how to easily and quickly determine the difference between important, urgent, secondary and useless.

It is believed that the Eisenhower Matrix is \u200b\u200bdirectly related to Dwight D. Eisenhower: "I have two problems: urgent and important. Urgent is not important, but an important - urgent. "

Dwight D. Eisenhower is known, first of all, as the 34th US President (from 1953 to 1961). Before becoming president, he was general and commanded allied forces During the Second World War. In 1950, Eisenhower became the first Supreme Commander-in-Chief United Armed Forces of NATO in Europe.

Specific professional activities constantly forced Eisenhuer to make tight solutions and focus on various tasks daily. To optimize the process, he created his own method, which became widely known as Matrixaisenhawer. Today, it can use not only generals, but also ordinary people Up to housewives - ongoings to express priorities in current tasks and make order in cases.

How to use an Eisenhuer matrix

This tool is suitable for those who are ready and able to evaluate the importance of their tasks and classify them clearly. The method involves the separation of tasks and actions into four groups:

1. urgent and important;
2. important, but not urgent;
3. urgent but not important;
4. not urgent and not important.

The ultimate goal of the Eisenhower method is to help filtering secondary affairs from important decisions and focus on what really matters.

If you present the Eisenhuer matrix in the form of a picture, it will look like this:

The value of quadrants in the matrix

Tasks are distributed over specific quads, which in turn determine when and how long you can perform the task.

• Quadrant I - "Make it immediately" (urgent and important)

This includes priority tasks that require immediate attention. They have a tight time and must be performed primarily the rest and personally.

• Quadrant II - "Decide when you do" (important, but not urgent)

This quadrant is the strategic part of the matrix, ideally suitable for long-term development. The elements that it involves are important, but do not require immediate intervention. At the same time, the tasks have a certain Dedine and are also performed personally.

• Quadrant III - "Delegate to someone" (urgent but not important)

Phone calls, emails and planning meetings and events fall into this quadrant. These types of tasks usually do not require personal attention, because they do not imply a measurable result. Quadrant III helps minimize what distracts from important work. Thanks to delegation, you can focus on more serious things.

• Quadrant IV - "Make it later" (not important, not urgent)

Actions falling into Quadrant IV are related cases that do not bring any value. Simply put, this is what you can always postpone, not afraid of any consequences. These business take time and prevent more important tasks that you enter into the first two quadrant.

Select color for the matrix

Assign to each of the quadrants of the matrix color and tie it with priority level.

For example:

Red \u003d urgently.

Yellow \u003d important, but not very urgent.

Green \u003d urgently, but not important.

Gray \u003d not urgently, no matter.

In the process of using the matrix for professional purposes, you will see that most tasks fall into quadrants I and III. The most significant result is brought from quadrant II, because it is a business goal that affect the long-term success of the business, while they are rarely classified as urgent.

The most difficult thing to understand what distracts you from the scheduled course is. But if you cope with this fundamental time management problem, AV get rid of thoughts about the worst clock. Ask yourself two questions to decide on long-term decision-making strategies:

• When will you do important, but not urgent tasks?
• When can you spend time on solving important tasks before they suddenly become urgent?

It is worth remembering that sometimes tasks from one quadrant suddenly fall into the other. If you arise emergencyYour priorities will change. For example, you own a small business, calls a displeased client and asks to tie him with the manager due to delay in delivery. This problem will immediately be higher than other elements in the matrix.

The distribution of tasks for quadrants has some features, and they need to be considered:

1. Affairs lists facilitate life. Make sure that when distributing tasks, you specify the right questions that help determine what needs to be performed first. Key feature - priority.
2. In each quadrant, you can add a lot of actions and tasks, however it is better that the maximum amount does not exceed more than eight elements. Otherwise, you will be given from the main goal - the completion of the task.
3. Create separate matrices for professional and personal life.
4. Only you can determine the level of priority of items in your list. Each morning start from the list of cases from the matrix, and by the end of the week you will see the result.

Eisenhauer Matrix Template

To simplify the task distribution process, use the template developed by the Evernote service:

The Eisenhower Matrix can be translated into a TRELLO project management program. Make a list of cases for each of the four boards (quadrant) and make a separate "Inbox" board, where all the tasks are to distribute to quadrants. This will allow you to visually evaluate your load.

The Eisenhower Matrix is \u200b\u200ba simple tool that helps avoid the state of analytical paralysis, which occurs every time you do not even know where to start.