TCFBO #002: Hacking the Priority Matrix

Read Time: 3.5 minutes

The Eisenhower Matrix is a simple concept for prioritising tasks…that doesn’t work.

Well, not in the way most people attempt to use it.

So today we’re going to show you how we hack it to get our non-urgent, important tasks and projects done.

The Eisenhower Matrix (or Priority Matrix) is basically a grid of four squares labelled as follows.

Box 1: Important and Urgent

Box 2: Important and Not Urgent

Box 3: Not Important and Urgent

Box 4: Not Important and Not Urgent

The first step is to assign your tasks and projects to one of the four boxes based on their importance and urgency.

Then the idea is that you deal with the tasks in Box 1 first, (i.e. the urgent and important stuff), you decide on a time to deal with the tasks in Box 2 (i.e. the stuff that’s important but isn’t pressing), you delegate the tasks in Box 3 (i.e. stuff that’s pressing but it’s not important for you to do it) and you delete the tasks in Box 4 (i.e. stuff you really shouldn’t be wasting your time on as it’s not important and not urgent).

It's a lovely idea, that doesn’t’ work.

It’s a lovely idea that you start your week with a list of tasks from Box 1 and have time scheduled in your calendar to tackle the tasks in Box 2.

It’s a lovely idea that you diligently work your way through Box 1 tasks and at the allotted time you stop working on them and start working on Box 2 tasks.

It’s a lovely idea that you prioritise Box 2 tasks over Box 3 tasks.

But that’s all they are. Lovely ideas that don’t play out in reality.

Because what tends to happen is that the urgency overtakes the importance.

As humans we want to remove that sense of urgency because it’s stressful.

So we focus on Box 1 and Box 3 in a desire to feel like we’re on top of things. And occassionally dip into Box 4 (like scrolling randomly through social media) to momentarily escape the pressure of Boxes 1 and 3.

We know Box 2 is important but it just doesn’t feel as pressing, it’s not causing us as much pain and stress as those urgent tasks. If we could just get those urgent tasks done, then we could really focus on the stuff that’s important but not urgent.

The problem is that when we ignore Box 2 tasks to deal with Box 1 tasks, eventually those Box 2 tasks do become urgent.

The annual accounts you had to get done? They started off in Box 2 a few months ago but kept getting put off because you had to deal with stuff that was more urgent, and now you’ve got to work through the weekend to get them done by the deadline or risk a fine.

Those workouts you scheduled? They got put off because you had to deal with stuff that was more urgent, and now your health is suffering.

Those date nights with your partner and nights out with friends? You kept rescheduling because you had to deal with stuff that was more urgent, and now you’re faced with a failing relationship and diminishing friendships.

Those weekends with your kids? You had to work those wekends because you had to deal with stuff that was more urgent, and now your kids are about to leave home and you wonder where the time went.

Suddenly, all those important and not urgent tasks are very urgent and very important.

So what’s the solution?

Focus on Box 2…

…AND create a sense of urgency about Box 2 by committing to take one tiny step within the next 24 hours.

You don’t have to do all the tasks in Box 2 before moving to the tasks in Box 1.

You don’t even have to do Box 2 tasks before Box 1 tasks.

Just focus on taking one tiny step every single day that will move your important projects forward. It doesn’t matter how small that step is, the key thing is that you are 100% certain that no matter what urgent stuff comes up, you will get that tiny step done within the next 24 hours.

Want to improve your health and fitness?

Commit to taking one tiny step within the next 24 hours in this key area.

Want to improve your business?

Commit to taking one tiny step within the next 24 hours in this key area.

Want to improve your relationships?

Commit to taking one tiny step within the next 24 hours in this key area.

Then repeat for the next 24 hours and the next and the next.

Each day you are adding a sense of urgency to your Box 2 tasks and projects and making sure you’re consistently moving them forward.

Three tiny steps in three key areas.

By the end of the week you’ll have taken at least twenty one steps forward across three important areas of your life and business.

Let us know how you get on and we’ll see you next week.

Paul & Philly

P.S. You can read more about taking tiny steps here.

Whenever you’re ready, there are two ways we can help you:

1. To discover the method we use to create a life and business we love, just grab a copy of “Backwards Planning - A Simple Method to Move You and Your Business Forward” from Amazon.

2. If you'd like to work one to one with us through the entire “Backwards Planning” process outlined in the book, you can apply to join The Clear Focus Business Academy.

The first step is to book a facilitated Life Vision Session which we conduct over Zoom. This session will not only give you clarity on what you want from your life but will give you the opportunity to experience how we work and ensure we're a good fit for each other before deciding whether The Clear Focus Business Academy is right for you. It comes with a 100% money back guarantee, so if you're not entirely satisfied, simply let us know at the end of the session and we'll issue a full refund.