Avoid the "Urgency Trap" with the Eisenhower Matrix ...

The Eisenhower Matrix is a simple tool for considering the long-term outcomes of your daily tasks and focusing on what will make you most effective, ... TheEisenhowerMatrixAvoidthe"UrgencyTrap"withDwightD.Eisenhower'sfamousprioritizationframeworkTags:Mediumcommitment,Popular,PrioritizationIntroductionTheMere-UrgencyEffecta.k.a.WhyWe'reBadatPrioritizationTheEisenhowerMatrix—Urgentvs.ImportantHowtorebalanceyourquadrantsHowtoimplementtheEisenhowerMatrixinTodoistIntroductionTheMere-UrgencyEffecta.k.a.WhyWe'reBadatPrioritizationTheEisenhowerMatrix—Urgentvs.ImportantHowtorebalanceyourquadrantsHowtoimplementtheEisenhowerMatrixinTodoistTakethequiz“Whocandefineforuswithaccuracythedifferencebetweenthelongandshortterm!Especiallywheneverouraffairsseemtobeincrisis,wearealmostcompelledtogiveourfirstattentiontotheurgentpresentratherthantotheimportantfuture.”—DwightD.Eisenhower,1961addresstotheCenturyAssociationDwightD.Eisenhower—five-stargeneralduringWorldWarIIand34thpresidentoftheUnitedStates—wasaproductiveguy.DuringhistwotermsaspresidentoftheUnitedStates,heledtheconstructionoftheInterstateHighwaySystem,createdNASA,signedintolawthefirstmajorpieceofcivilrightslegislationsincetheendoftheCivilWar,endedtheKoreanWar,welcomedAlaskaandHawaiiintotheunion,andmanagedtokeeptheColdWarwithRussiacold.Andhediditallwithpanache—EisenhowerwasGallup’smostadmiredmanoftheyearnolessthantwelvetimes.HowwasEisenhowerabletorackupsomanyaccomplishmentsthatwouldhavesuchalastingimpactonhiscountryandtheworld?HeunderstoodthefundamentaldifferencebetweentheUrgentandtheImportant. Ina1954speech,Eisenhowerquotedanunnameduniversitypresidentwhosaid,“Ihavetwokindsofproblems,theurgentandtheimportant.Theurgentarenotimportant,andtheimportantareneverurgent.”Over3decadeslaterinhisbest-sellingbookThe7HabitsofHighlyEffectivePeople,StephenCoveyrepackagedEisenhower’sinsightsintoasimpletooltoprioritizetasks,nowknownastheEisenhowerMatrix(alsoknownasTheTimeManagementMatrix,TheEisenhowerBox,TheEisenhowerMethod,andTheUrgent-ImportantMatrix).Thisframeworkforprioritizationhelpsyoucombatthe“mere-urgency”effect(moreonthatlater),eliminatetime-wastersinyourlife,andcreatemorementalspacetomakeprogressonyourgoals.TrytheEisenhowerMatrixifyou...Findyourselfrunningaroundputtingoutfiresallday(figurativelyspeaking)Arebusybutdon’tfeellikeyourworkhasahighimpactHavelong-termgoalsbutnotimeorenergytomakeprogressonthemHaveahardtimedelegatingand/orsayingnoWanttobethepresidentoftheUnitedStates(hey,itworkedforEisenhower)ThisarticlewillwalkyouthroughwhydistinguishingbetweentheUrgentandtheImportantissocritical,howtheEisenhowerMatrixhelpsyoudoit,andhowtoapplythematrixtobothyourbig-pictureprojectsandeverydaytasksusingTodoist.TheMere-UrgencyEffecta.k.a.WhyWe'reBadatPrioritizationHowdowedecidewhichtasktogiveourattentiontoatanygivenmoment?Notverywell,itturnsout.ArecentstudyintheJournalofConsumerResearchsetouttoexaminehowpeopledecidewhattoworkonwhenfacedwithtasksofmixedurgencyandimportance.Acrossfiveseparateexperiments,researchersobservedacuriouspattern: ourattentionisdrawntotime-sensitivetasksovertasksthatarelessurgentevenwhenthelessurgenttaskoffersgreaterrewards.Thispsychologicalquirk—dubbedthe "Mere-UrgencyEffect"—explainswhywe'resobadattaskandtimemanagement.We'remorelikelytoprioritizetaskswithadeadlineovertaskswithoutoneregardlessoftheirlong-termpayoffs.Andtheeffectisevenmoreprominentinpeoplewhodescribethemselvesas“busy”.Thesameresearchersfoundthatself-describedbusypeopleweremorelikelytoselecturgenttaskswithlowerpayoutsbecausetheywerealreadyfixatedontaskduration.Ifyou'realreadyfeelingatimecrunch,you’lllikelycontinuetoprioritizetasksthatkeepyoufocusedontheclock.Butthere'sgoodnewstoo—themere-urgencyeffectcanbereversed. Whenparticipantswerepromptedtoconsidertheconsequencesoftheirchoicesatthetimeofselection,theyweresignificantlymorelikelytochoosetheimportanttaskovertheurgentone.Thefindingssuggestthatifyoukeepthelong-termimportanceofnon-urgenttasksinview,youcanovercomethepulltowardurgentdistractionsandfocusonwhatreallymatters.That’swheretheEisenhowerMatrixcomesin.TheEisenhowerMatrix—Urgentvs.ImportantTheEisenhowerMatrixisasimpletoolforconsideringthelong-termoutcomesofyourdailytasksandfocusingonwhatwillmakeyoumosteffective,notjustmostproductive.Ithelpsyouvisualizeallyourtasksinamatrixofurgent/important.Allofyourday-to-daytasksandbiggerprojectswillfallintooneofthesefourquadrants:Urgent&Importanttasks/projectstobecompletedimmediatelyNotUrgent&Importanttasks/projectstobescheduledonyourcalendarUrgent&Unimportanttasks/projectstobedelegatedtosomeoneelseNotUrgent&Unimportanttasks/projectstobedeletedIntherealworld,thedistinctionbetweenurgent/non-urgent,important/notimportantismuchmurkierthanunderexperimentalconditions.Here'showStevenCoveybreaksitdown:Urgentmattersarethosethatrequireimmediateaction.ThesearethevisibleissuesthatpopupanddemandyourattentionNOW.Often,urgentmatterscomewithclearconsequencesfornotcompletingthesetasks.Urgenttasksareunavoidable,butspendingtoomuchtimeputtingoutfirescanproduceagreatdealofstressandcouldresultinburnout.Importantmatters,ontheotherhand,arethosethatcontributetolong-termgoalsandlifevalues.Theseitemsrequireplanningandthoughtfulaction.Whenyoufocusonimportantmattersyoumanageyourtime,energy,andattentionratherthanmindlesslyexpendingtheseresources.Whatisimportantissubjectiveanddependsonyourownvaluesandpersonalgoals.Nooneelsecandefinewhatisimportantforyou.Belowisanin-depthlookateachofthefourquadrantsoftheEisenhowerMatrixtohelpyouidentifywhichtasksgoineachandhowtohandlethemaccordingly.Quadrant1:Urgent&ImportantUrgentandImportanttasksdemandyoutakeactionquickly.Theseitemstypicallyhavevisibledeadlinesandconsequencesforstallingontakingaction.Mostoften,theseareeitherthingsthatweresprungonyoufromanexternalsourceorthingsthatyouputoffuntilfacedwithaloomingdeadline.Eitherway,theyrequireacrisismoderesponse.Forexample:CoveringaprojectforacolleagueoutsickCarstallsonthehighwaySinkspringsleakandfloodsyourkitchenintwofeetofwaterClientscometoyouwithapressingproblemAlast-minutedeadlineisassignedtoyouQuadrant1tasksareinevitable.Evenifyouneverprocrastinated(whichisanimpossibleask),therewillalwaysbesomethingbeyondyourcontrol.However,theproblemcomeswhenyoufocusontheseunexpectedordeadline-driventaskstotheexclusionoflong-termgoalsthatareimportanttoyou.CoveycautionsthatspendingtoomuchtimeonQuadrant1taskscanleadtoincreasedstress,burnout,andthesensethatyourdaysareoutofyourcontrol.Spendingalldayputtingoutfireswillquicklyrobyouofenergyandpassionforyourwork,andmaymakeiteasiertosettleintomindlessescapismfoundinQuadrant4.Quadrant2:NotUrgent&ImportantNoturgent,butimportanttasksaretheactivitiesthathelpyouachievelong-termgoals.Thesemaynothaveadeadline(orevenanenddate)soitiseasytoputthemoffinfavorofmoreurgenttasks.However,thesetaskshaveamuchgreatereffectonyourlong-termeffectivenessincompletingyourgoals.Examples:Planningforlongandshort-termprojectsRegularchoresormaintenanceprojectsProfessionalnetworkingandpersonalrelationshipbuildingLearninganewskill,keepingupwithcurrentresearchinyourfield,attendingeducationaleventsExerciseandroutinehealthcareCoveysaysthatQuadrant2isthesweetspotofpersonaltimemanagement.Thisisthespotwhereyouarefocusednotonproblems(aswithQ1)butonopportunitiesandgrowth.Livingfromthisquadrantofthematrixmeansthatyouareproactiveandprioritizeactivitiesthatgrowyourskillsandenergy,andcontributetoaccomplishingmeaningfulgoals.Quadrant2iswhere“deepwork”happensbecauseyouarelargelyfreedofpressingdistractions.ByattendingtoQ2consistently,youdecreasethenumberofpressingproblemsthatpopupinQ1.LivinginQ2meansthatyoucancreateaplantocompleteprojectsandavoidpossibleproblems.Forexample,ifyoukeepputtingoffcompletingroutinecarmaintenance,youmaypayforitlaterwhenyourcarstallsout.Doyoumanageotherpeople?DigdeeperDoyoumanageotherpeople?Learnhowyoucanhelpyourteamspendmoretimeinquadrant2too. Quadrant3: Urgent&NotImportantUrgentbutNotImportanttasksarebestdescribedasbusywork.Thesetasksareoftenbasedonexpectationssetbyothersanddonotmoveyouclosertoyourlong-termgoals.Examples:UnnecessaryinterruptionsfromcoworkersCheckingyourphoneoremailwheneveritgoesoffRespondingtocertaintexts,emails,orsocialmediamessagesActingoncouponsorlimitedtimeoffersSomemeetingsQuadrant3iswherethemereurgencyeffectlives.Thedrivetocompletetasksbecauseofrealorassumeddeadlinesmeansyoutakeontasksthataren’tactuallymeaningfultoyou.GiventhatQ3tasksareurgentbuttypicallyrelatedtosomeoneelse'spriorities,spendingtoomuchtimeinthissquarecanfeellikeyouaredoingthingsyoushoulddoratherthanwhatyouwanttodo.FocusonQ3tasksmaymakeyoufeellikeyouarenotlivingupyourlargerlifegoalsordon’thavecontroloveryourday-to-daylife.CoveysuggestsdelegatingasmanyQ3tasksaspossible.Canyouhavesomeoneelsetakethosemeetingnotes?Canyougetyourgroceriesdeliveredinsteadofgoingtothestore?Canyouempoweryourchildrentodothedishes? Canyouhireadigitalassistanttoschedulefamilydoctorvisits?Isthereanythinginyourlifeyoucanautomate?Ifyoucan’tdelegatethesetasks,trytokeepthemfromtakingoveryourday:TurnoffnotificationsonyourphoneandcomputerwhenworkingBeclearwithothersabouthowmuchtimeyoucanspendonagiventaskSaveQ3tasksfortimeswhenyouareverylowonenergyratherthanputtingthemfirstthinginthemorningNegotiateyourworkloadwithyourbossPracticesayingnoDigdeeperFormoretipsongettingoutofQ3,learnhowtoVanquishBusyworkandSpendMoreTimeonWhatMatters. Quadrant4: NotUrgent&NotimportantNoturgentandnotimportanttasksaretime-wastingactivitiesthatshouldberuthlesslycutout.Theseactivitiesdon’tcontributetoprogressonyourgoalsbutcanenduptakingoverlargechunksoftime.Examples:WatchingTVforhoursMindlesslyrefreshingsocialmediaandscrollingAvoidanceactivitiessuchassortingandorganizingemailratherthanansweringitExcessiveshoppingoronlinebrowsingQuadrant4isthequadrantofexcessandimmediategratificationthatultimatelyleavesyoufeelingunfulfilled.Don’tgetmewrongweallneedsomeleisuretime.Eisenhowerhimselfwasawell-knownbridgeplayer—evenplayingnightlyuptoD-Day—andwasfamouslycriticizedforhismanygolftripswhileinoffice.Thekeyisthattheseactivitieswereabalanceforthemanystressfulaspectsofbeingapoliticalleader.However,ifyou'renotintentionalaboutit,thewayyouspendyourdowntimecanactuallydrainyourenergy,passion,andcreativity.ArecentstudypublishedintheJournalofAppliedPsychologyfoundthathowemployeesspendtheiroff-jobleisuretimeisastrongpredictorforhowmuchenergyandpositivitytheyexpressedthefollowingworkday.Employeeswhoengagedinself-masteryactivitiessuchasexerciseorvolunteeringweremoremotivatedthefollowingday.Employeeswhorelaxedwithyoga,meditation,orbylisteningtomusicapproachedtheworkdaymorecalmly.Employeeswhoengagedindistractionactivitiestoavoidorignoreproblems,likewatchingexcessiveTV,didshowarenewedpositivitythefollowingworkday.However,withcontinueduseofdistractiontheirmoodsandmotivationworsenedastheweekcontinued.Inotherwords,distractioninmoderationwasok,buthabitualdistractionresultedinlessworksatisfactionoverall.DigdeeperAtalossforwhattodoinyoursparetimewhenTVandsocialmediaareoffthetable?Trytheseideas HowtorebalanceyourquadrantsAccordingtoStephenCovey,quadrant2isthe“QuadrantofQuality”wheretimespentengagingthesetasksincreasesyouroveralleffectiveness.Thisiswherepersonalandprofessionalgrowthmeetsplanning,prevention,andaction.Toevaluatewhereyoucurrentlyareonthematrix,starttrackingyourtimeandtasks.IfyouuseTodoistfortaskmanagement,youcaneasilygetalistofallthetasksyoucompletedandwhenyoucompletedthem.Whenyouhaveafewdaysworthofdata,sitdownandorganizeyourtasksintoquadrantsbyaskingthefollowingquestions:Wasthisurgentforme?Wasthisimportanttome?Rememberthatyouareonlydecidingthesecriteriabasedonyourdesiredoutcomes,notsomeoneelse’s.Onceyourtasksaresortedintotheappropriatequadrants,examinewhereyourtimeiscurrentlybeingspent.Areyouhappywithyourquadrantbalance?IfyouspendalotoftimeinQ1,investtimeinplanningtoanticipateandpreventproblems:Nextstep:Organizeaweeklyorevenmonthlyplanaroundyourcurrentgoalsanddeadlines.Attheendofeachweek,doaweeklyreview.Reflectonhowwellyourplanworkedandadjustforthenextweek.IfmostofyourQ1taskscomefromexternalsources,strategizeonhowyoucanbetterplanandanticipatethem.Youmayneedtodevelopamoreproactiveworkflowwithacolleagueorclient,ortalktoyourbossaboutrebalancinganexcessiveworkload.Ifthere’saparticularclientwho’screatingalotofQ1tasks,theworkmaynotbeworththestress.IfyouspendyourtimeinQ3,delegate,eliminate,orlimittheamountoftimeyouspendonthesetasks:NextStep:Strategizeandwriteoutspecificstepsonhowyou’lllimitthesetasks.Canyoudelegatethem?Canyoujustsayno?Canyoubatchthesetypesoftaskstogetherinasingleafternoonduringyourweek?Canyouhaveanopendiscussionwithyourbossaboutjusthowmuchtimeyou’respendingon“busywork”?Scheduletimeinyourweektotakethesesteps.IfyouspendyourtimeinQ4,youmaybestuckinarut,stressed,oravoidingaproblem:NextStep:Useyourtimetrackingtoidentifythebiggesttimewastersandstrategizeonhowtoavoidorlimitthem.Developaplantoovercomeprocrastinationbeforeyou'retemptedtoprocrastinate.Remember,it’soktojustrelaxsometimes,butactivitiesinthisquadranthavediminishingreturnswhenusedexcessively.Asyoushiftyourprioritiestowardquadrant2,keepusingtheEisenhowerMatrixtoknowwhatyoushouldbeworkingondaytoday.HowtoimplementtheEisenhowerMatrixinTodoistYoucanuseTodoisttoorganizeyourtasksintothefoururgent/importantquadrantswithtwodifferentmethods:labelsorprioritylevels.Bothmethodsareoutlinedbelow.UsinglabelsInTodoist,labelsandfiltersworktogethertohelpyouorganizeandsortyourtasklist.Forthissetup,firstcreatethesetwolabels:@urgent@importantTodoistTipYoucanchangethecolorofalabelandaddemojistomakeitstandoutonyourlist. Onceyouhaveyourtwolabels,gothroughyourtasksandassigntheappropriatelabelstoeach:Add@urgent&@importanttotasksthatneedtobedoneimmediatelyandpersonallyAdd@importanttotasksthatgetaduedateandaredonepersonallyAdd@urgenttotasksthatcanbedelegatedorrelegatedtoDon'taddeitherlabeltotasksthatcanbedroppedYoucanquicklyassignalabeltoanytaskbytyping“@”intothetaskfield.Thiswillbringupalistofyourcurrentlabelstoselectfrom.Keeptypingthelabelnametonarrowdownthelist.TodoistTipIfyouhavealotoftasks,youcanquicklyassignlabelstomultipletasksatthesametime. Onceallofyoururgentand/orimportanttasksarelabeled,createfournewfilterstocorrespondwitheachquadrant:Urgent&Importantwithfilterquery:@urgent&@importantImportant&Noturgentwithfilterquery:@important&!@urgentUrgent&Unimportantwithfilterquery:@urgent&!@importantUnimportant&Noturgentwithfilterquery:!@important&!@urgentAnd/orcombinethemallintooneEisenhowerfilterwiththequery:@urgent&@important,@important&!@urgent,@urgent&!@important,!@important&!@urgentNowyou'llbeabletocheckeachfilterviewtoknowwhichurgentandimportanttasksneedyourattentionfirst;whichimportantbutnoturgenttasksneedtobescheduled;whichurgentandunimportanttasksyoushouldeitherdelegateordoinyourlowenergyhours;andwhichtasksyoushouldjustdelete.TodoistTipTokeepyourimportanttaskstop-of-mind,addyourUrgent&ImportantandImportant&NotUrgentfilterstoyourfavorites.They'llshowupatthetopofyournavigationmenuforeasyaccess. UsingprioritylevelsInsteadofusinglabelstosortyourtasks,youcanuseTodoist’sfourprioritylevels.EachprioritylevelwillmapontoacorrespondingquadrantoftheEisenhowermatrix:Urgent&Important=Priority1(Red)NotUrgent&Important=Priority2(Orange)Urgent&NotImportant=Priority3(Blue)NotUrgent&NotImportant=Priority4(Nocolor)Assignapriorityleveltoanytaskbyclickingortappingtheflagiconandthenselectingthedesiredprioritylevel. Changetheprioritylevelanytimebyselectingtheflagiconwheneditingatask,orjusttypep1,p2,orp3rightintothetaskfieldandTodoistwillrecognizeandassigntherightprioritylevelwhenyoucreatethetask.AnythingwithoutacoloredflagisP4bydefault.Next,setupafiltertoviewyourtasksbypriorityfromacrossallyourprojects.Gotofilters,thenclick“AddFilter”andtitleitEisenhowerMatrix.Underquery,enter“p1,p2,p3,p4”.Yourhighestprioritytaskswillappearnearthetopofeachdailyto-dolistinyourTodayandUpcomingviews(taskswithbothaduedateandtimewillappearfirstregardlessofprioritylevel).TodoistTipWhenusingthismethod,rememberthatanythingwithoutacoloredflag(p1,p2,p3)isautomaticallysortedasP4.IfyouuseTodoisttostorereferencematerials,youmaywanttoalteryourfiltertoexcludeP4itemsfromcertainreferenceprojects.Inthatcase,yourfilterquerywouldread:“p1,p2,p3,p4&!#Reference”. (Youcanreadthelastpartofthisfilteras“showmeallp4tasksthatarenotinmyReferenceproject”.) DealingwitheachquadrantOnceyou’vesetupTodoisttoworkwiththeEisenhowerMethod,youcanbegintoevaluateyourtasks.ClickyournewEisenhowerMatrixfilterstoreviewyourtasksbyquadrant.ForQ1:Important&Urgent,p1:Reviewyourupcomingtasksandmakeaplantocompletetheseitemsfirst.ForQ2:Important&NotUrgent,p2:Setareasonableduedateforthenextstepsoneachtask.Getaheadofyourplanningbyusingcommentstoattachreferencematerialsoraddnotestoyourtask.ForQ3:Unimportant&Urgent,p3:Delegateasmanytasksasyoupossible.TodelegatetheseinTodoist,youcanshareprojectswithanyone,assigntasks,setdeadlines,uploadfiles,anddiscusstaskdetailswithcollaboratorsinthecomments.Q4:Unimportant&NotUrgent,p4:DeleteWhenyou’refacedwithasetoftasks,howdoyoudecidewhichtotacklefirst?Doyouselectthetaskthat’sgoingtobringyouclosertoyourlong-termgoals?Ordoyougiveyourattentiontothemosturgentitemonyourlist?UsetheEisenhowerMatrixtoavoidthemere-urgencytrapanddomoreofwhat'simportanttoyou.LauraScroggsLauraisafreelancewriter,PhDcandidate,andpugmomlivinginMinneapolis,MN. FindmoreproductivitymethodsExploreonyourownNotsurewhichmethodtostartwith?Getapersonalizedrecommendationbasedyourpreferencesandgoals.TakethequizTimeBlocking...anditscousinstaskbatchinganddaytheming.Controlyourschedulesoitdoesn'tcontrolyouEattheFrogIfit'syourjobtoeatafrog,it'sbesttodoitfirstthinginthemorningWantmorein-depthproductivityadvice?EmailGetourAmbition&Balancenewsletterdelivered.Youdon‘tneedato-dolistapp.Buttherightonehelps.Todoistissimpletouseyetflexibleenoughtofitwhicheverworkflowyousettleon.TryTodoist