The Best Prioritizing and Time Management Tools: The Eisenhower Matrix

Do you want to get better at time management and setting priorities? Most of us do and fortunately there are some simple tools and approaches that can help us become more effective at making decisions. The Eisenhower Matrix is one such tool.

What is the Eisenhower Matrix?

The Eisenhower matrix is so named because the original concept is accredited to US President Dwight D. Eisenhower. I first came across the concept of the Eisenhower matrix in Stephen Covey’s book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, it helped me see ‘to-do’ lists in a whole new way and I have used the system ever since. The Eisenhower matrix is a prioritization tool and therefore a good basis for a time management system. It is most commonly used for business prioritization and project management but is just as good for personal time management and is actually best when used to consider everything you do in life, not just work tasks.

I love the Eisenhower matrix as, similarly to the SWOT analysis it is simple, highly effective and based around a four-quadrant matrix that is easy to remember and use.

Time management is vitally important

Time is our most precious resource. This is not a new idea, some of the oldest phrases that we use are related to time, such as: tempus fugit, time flies; or carpe diem, seize the day.

I asked my boss if I could leave half an hour early the other day. 


He said, ” Only if you make up the time.”


I said, ” OK. It’s 35 past 50.”

Time is finite, but even though we cannot create more time we can become better at time management and make more effective use of the time that we have. We do this but prioritizing things, in other words by putting ‘first things first’ and making sure we focus on what is most important at any given time and then putting our energies and resources behind those activities.

Prioritizing is key to effective time management

Prioritizing is key to better productivity, efficiency and effectiveness. Communication and change happen so fast now that you could work around the clock just to keep up with the millions of demands that are fighting for your attention. Email and social media are particularly good at swallowing our time if we are not careful, especially in the age of smart phones that means that we can be connected to the internet and our inbox pretty much anywhere in the world.

The problem is that it is not always that easy to prioritize the things we have to do and that is why it is very helpful to have a prioritization tool to help us. This is where the Eisenhower Matrix comes in.

“The importance of time largely depends upon which side of the bathroom door you are on.”

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Are tasks important or urgent?

“What is important is seldom urgent and what is urgent is seldom important.” Dwight D. Eisenhower

The Eisenhower matrix works by asking two simple questions of any task we could undertake. The questions are:

• Is it important?
• Is it urgent?

By answering yes or no to these questions we come up with a four quadrant matrix that divides tasks into those that are:

1. Important and urgent – things we need to do now

2. Important and not urgent – things we need to plan to do

3. Urgent but not important – things we should try and delegate

4. Not urgent and not important – things we should avoid doing

This process is helpful as it is very easy to waste time on unimportant tasks or to become distracted. Putting our to-do list through the Eisenhower matrix allows us to be much more focused and productive.

Working out whether something is urgent or not is relatively easy as something that has a time dependent nature is usually self-evident.

It can be harder to work out what is truly important. What we consider important is strongly linked to what we value – and therefore to a degree it is subjective – but there are some things that generally fall in the ‘important’ box.

Some common tasks are listed in the diagram below and this can be used as something of a template for your own to-do list.

How to use the Eisenhower Matrix

To use the Eisenhower method, follow these steps:

1. List: Take a few minutes now to brainstorm and note down the things you have to do
2. Analyse: check the importance, ask:
   • What would happen if the task was not completed?
   • Can the task be delegated?
3. Assess: check the urgency, ask:
   • Does the task have to be done in the next 48 hrs? If so it’s urgent.
4. Assign: Now you have sorted the tasks, assign them to the different quadrants, listed in priority order
5. Schedule: Put the tasks into your diary or planner. Put time in the diary not only for the urgent-important tasks but also plan ahead for the quadrant two tasks and make a plan for how and when you are going to delegate the third quadrant tasks.
6. Action: Start to work through the tasks in priority order
7. Review: Update and re-assess the priorities regularly (for example once a day)

Want to learn more about time management?

If you want to find out some more about time management and increase your productivity then there are some other good resources you can look to.

As I mentioned previously the Eisenhower matrix is a time management tool that Stephen Covey refers to in his book ‘The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People’. I rate this as being in the top ten management and leadership books that I have ever read; it transformed the way I work. You can get a copy by clicking on the image:

Timothy Ferriss – entrepreneur, speaker and author – addresses time management in his book, The 4-Hour Work Week. Tim is particularly good at applying the 80:20 rule (the Pareto Principle) and he takes time management and outsourcing to the extreme to show how you can achieve a four-hour work week, but you benefit from his life hacks whatever life-work balance you are striving for. You can get a copy here:

You can read more posts on time management and prioritization here:

Three Essential Principles for Prioritisation and Good Decision Making

Decision making is a fact of life, we have a constant barrage of information we need to analyse and choices we have to make. Here are some simple tools to help you.

The SWOT Analysis

The SWOT analysis is a simple yet effective way of doing a situational analysis and exploring the internal and external influences that are affecting an individual or organisation. SWOT stands for:

• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Opportunities
• Threats

Strengths and weaknesses are the internal factors; opportunities and threats the external ones. The idea of the SWOT analysis is to keep things simple and concise. All that needs to be done is to record the key considerations under each heading to highlight the critical information that needs to be acted upon. The SWOT analysis is based upon a study done at Stanford University.

The Eisenhower Matrix

The Eisenhower Matrix (named after US President Dwight D. Eisenhower) is another simple yet powerful tool but in this case it is used for time management. The process is based upon identifying whether something is either important or not important, urgent or not urgent. The matrix is then made up of four boxes:

• Important, but not urgent – things that you decide when you will do them
• Urgent and important – things that should be done immediately
• Not important, not urgent – things that can be done at a later date
• Urgent but not important – things that can be delegated to someone else

Items on a to-do list are categorised into the four boxes in order to help prioritise them.

The Conflict Resolution Model

Psychologists have identified that our responses to conflict situations can be categorised in six different ways. Understanding these reactions and being able to identify them in can help to resolve or de-escalate a situation. By looking for the best way to respond good communication and relationships can be restored. The six responses are:

• Fight. The aggressive response is to try and defeat the cause of the conflict but this has a downside in business and relationships as someone has to become the loser (lose-lose)
• Flight. Running away is just avoidance; it does not solve the issue so it will still be there at a later date (win-lose)
• Give up. This is the opposite of the fight response but the result is the same; there is a loser, and therefore this should be avoided (lose-win)
• Evade responsibility. If someone cannot handle the situation they might give the responsibility to someone else. Bringing in another party generally reduces the chances of a favourable solution. (lose-lose)
• Compromise. This is when negotiation leads to a solution but one where both parties lose some ground, therefore the conflict is resolved but at a cost to both sides (win-lose/win-lose).
• Reach a consensus. This is where the conflict is turned into an opportunity where both parties can benefit; therefore it is more productive than a compromise and the best overall result (win-win).

The Making-of Model

This model was developed by The Grove consulting agency and looks at how someone’s past has an influence on their future. It is done by looking back at a specific period of time; be that a project, business venture or important period of life and then analysing it. For each time period the considerations are:

• The people involved
• The goals that were set
• The challenges that were overcome
• The successes
• What lessons were learned

This tool can be particularly helpful when crafting a CV.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Developed by the psychologist Abraham Maslow, the hierarchy categorises human needs as:

• Physiological needs (such as eating, sleeping, sex)
• Security (shelter, work, health, physical security)
• Social relationships (friends, community, love, a partner)
• Recognition (money, status, power)
• Self-actualisation (faith, self-belief, fulfilling potential, spirituality)

The first three are the basic needs and form the bottom three tiers of the triangle. If these needs are supplied a person no longer considers them. The last two (that form the top two levels of the pyramid) can never really be satisfied and are therefore areas of continual growth.

The Pareto Principle (The 80/20 Rule)

Vilfredo Pareto, an Italian economist, identified that 80% of success and good results come from just 20% of the input. In other words 20% of a company’s customers will be responsible for 80% of its revenue. 80% of a person’s results is down to 20% of their time. The key is identifying the productive 20% in any given situation and focussing on that.

The Belbin Team Model

Meredith Belbin conducted a series of studies and identified nine profiles that were needed in any successful team. They all have particular strengths and weaknesses, which is why all the roles are needed to provide balance. In summary the roles are:

• Plant – an ideas generator, good at thinking but can find it hard to focus on one thing
• Co-ordinator – a decision-maker and delegator who takes responsibility but can appear manipulative
• Shaper – a ‘can-do’ person who overcomes challenges but can be impatient
• Resource Investigator – someone who looks at possibilities and contacts external to the team; can be over-optimistic
• Implementer – action-orientated, this person is reliable but can be inflexible
• Monitor Evaluator – analytical and level headed but can be overly critical
• Team worker – fosters communication and good relationships internally but can be indecisive
• Completer Finisher – has very high standards, conscientious but can be too much of a perfectionist
• Specialist – provide specialist insight and skills but can be too narrow in their thinking

My work falls into several key roles. I lead an organisation, and run my own business, I coach senior managers and I also facilitate leadership courses for various corporations. With a couple of decades of management experience under my belt, I have found that certain tools and approaches really help me on a weekly (even daily) basis. So why not share them with you?

I have picked my top 10 (because, hey, we all like top-ten lists, right?) so this is not exhaustive, but it is representative of the mental models that I use the most. You will likely recognise a few tools from the list but equally, hopefully, there are some new gems to be found or reminded of.

I have included a short explanation of each model but there are also links to longer articles on each tool if you want to explore them further.

The Rule of 3 – for simple, impactful written and verbal communication

I love the rule of 3 because it is utterly simple and yet undeniably effective. The rule of three is the phenomenon that information, clustered in threes, makes communications clearer, more memorable, and impactful. There is a long history of using this tool, reaching back to Aristotle and perhaps further. To find out how to apply to rule to your writing, decision-making and public speaking, take a look at The Rule of 3: An Easy Hack to Improve Your Communication.

The Right Questions – for decision-making and planning

I developed this approach for making decisions and plans through my work as a Bomb Disposal Officer. By using the seven main interrogatives in the English language as a mental prompt, and applying the questions in a suitable order, it creates a simple system to think through a choice and come up with a plan of action. The framework looks like this:

• Why? (Purpose, Values, Priorities): Why is this important?
• Where? (Situation, Vision) Where have we come from, where are we now and where do we want to go?
• What? (Mission, Goal) What does success look like?
• Which? (Options, Risk) In which ways could we achieve our goal?
• How? (Resources, Plan) How do we get to our destination (what steps and resources do we need)?
• Who? (Network, Team) Who can help us achieve the goal?
• When? (Timing, Scheduling) When is the best time to achieve the tasks and how long will it take to succeed?

You can read more in What are the Right Questions for Decision Making and Strategic Planning?

The Eisenhower Matrix – a tool for effective prioritising

I first came across the Eisenhower Matrix over two decades ago when I first read Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I have been using the system ever since to help me think about my task list and how to prioritise things. The two-by-two matrix is composed of thinking about what is important and what is urgent. This creates four ways to categorise and prioritise our tasks:

1. Urgent and Important. Do these tasks now.
2. Not urgent but important. Plan time to do these tasks.
3. Urgent but not important. Try to delegate these tasks.
4. Not urgent and not important. Avoid these activities.

5:5 Breathing Technique – to help your emotional management

Various scientific studies have shown the effectiveness of using breathing techniques to manage our emotional states. When a crisis hits, or you feel yourself losing your cool then the best thing to do is employ a proven breathing technique. The thing is, to truly be effective, you need to have practised beforehand. My favourite technique is 5:5 breathing where I breathe in for a slow count of five and then breath out for a slow count of five. If you would like to know some variations to this technique (and how tracing your hand can make it even more impactful) then read How to Use Simple Breathing Techniques to Reduce Stress.

The Kolb Learning Cycle – for experiential learning and a growth mindset

We learn through experience and the Kolb cycle helps is to ensure that we learn effectively by making us aware of the critical stages. The order is not important but we need to go through all four phases of the cycle if we are to truly learn. So, if you do not want to waste a learning opportunity then you need to check off these four elements:

1. Concrete Experience – having some sort of new experience
2. Reflective Observation – assessing the experience against existing knowledge
3. Abstract Conceptualisation – generating new mental models
4. Active experimentation – applying new methods to the experience

There are also four learning styles that complement these phases. The idea is that we all have a preferred learning style and you can find out more in How to Boost Your Growth Mindset with Kolb’s Learning Cycle.

The SWOT Analysis – a tool to improve your situational analysis

The SWOT analysis is one of the best know conceptual tools there is. Some people might discount it because it is so frequently mentioned or used, but this would be a mistake. The SWOT analysis is popular because – as with the best management tools – it is so simple and effective. It is brilliant for getting a snapshot of a situation. SWOT stands for:

• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Opportunities
• Threats

Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors whereas opportunities and threats are external factors. One of the most beneficial elements of this tool is looking at the links and relationships between these four quadrants. And, even though the SWOT tool was designed for use with businesses I also highly recommend it as a personal tool. Do a quick SWOT analysis on yourself; it’s great for self-awareness.

The GROW Model – a tool for setting goals and coaching others

Sir John Whitmore’s GROW model, along with the SWOT analysis, is one of the best know conceptual tools used in the workplace. The GROW model was developed as a coaching tool but has been widely accepted as a tool for all managers and I frequently teach it in leadership courses. The GROW method provides an easy-to-follow framework for coaching someone to achieve something. GROW stands for:

• Goal – identify the vision and set the task
• Reality – consider the present situation and its factors (the SWOT analysis can help here)
• Options – look at different ways to achieve the goal
• Will – commit to achieving the goal and plan the first steps

As a manager, you can use this method to coach people through objectives at work and works very well alongside the SMARTER delegation method outlined below.

SMART (and SMARTER) tasks – to ensure effective delegation

The more responsibility I take on, the more I have to delegate. The thing is, if I fail to delegate work effectively then I will end up with just as much work (if not more) in the end. Therefore, it is critical to define tasks effectively when assigning work. The SMART and SMARTER acronyms are really helpful reminders of what is needed to create an achievable goal. Talking through these elements with the person taking on the job also gets their buy-in to the activity and creates agreement around the parameters of the work. SMART stands for:

• Specific,
• Measurable,
• Attainable,
• Relevant and
• Time-bound

You can also add an optional E of Evaluate and R or Re-Evaluate to create a SMARTER task with planned review points. I would wholeheartedly recommend this, and the Traffic Light system (below) can complement this evaluation process.

The Traffic Lights Review Tool – for reviewing projects, progress, and performance

As seen from the Kolb learning cycle, if we want to improve performance, we need to reflect on what we have done before and learn from the experience. It is also evident, from the SMARTER delegation technique, that planning in evaluation points will support the successful achievement of a task. Therefore, we need to constantly review performance in a simple, effective and time-efficient manner. This can be done by using the Traffic Light approach which prompts the three critical questions to cover in a review process:

• Red: what should we stop doing?
• Amber: what should we continue doing?
• Green: what should we start doing?

For further explanation and examples take a look at The 3 Most Powerful Questions for Continual Improvement.

The SCARF Model – to improve your social interactions

The SCARF model is a tool I have come across more recently as I have become more interested in the psychology and neuroscience behind how we behave at work and in our relationships. It was developed by neuro-scientist David Rock to explain how we interact with people in social engagements and why our body and brain interpret social threats in the same way as physical threats. His research came up with five factors that can impact whether we find a social situation positive or negative. These make the acronym SCARF which stands for:

• Status – where we feel in the pecking order
• Certainty – how sure we feel about the future
• Autonomy – the level of choice and agency we have
• Relatedness – how connected we feel to others
• Fairness – whether we perceive something to be equitable

The science behind this is fascinating and, when understood, can improve relationships, and help to stop explosive, damaging, or uncomfortable social interactions. You can find out more in How to Stop Your Primal Brain from Hijacking You at Work.

A starter for 10: which do you want to experiment with?

If there is something new here for you, then I recommend experimenting with the tools and seeing how it goes. Be playful with it, adapt it to your needs, and if it doesn’t work, put it on the shelf and try something else. Part of the fun of working life is this learning journey where we find new ideas, experiment, and grow. As we develop as individuals, we get better at what we do. Everyone – our bosses, colleagues, and teams – benefit. We also benefit if we enjoy what we do and get the satisfaction of improving our performance and achieving new things.

So have a play. And if you could make your own list, what would it have on it?