Our day-to-day is full of decision making. As experienced project managers, we need to concentrate on tasks that have the biggest impact on the project outcome. This is when time-management tools come in handy. Dwight D. Eisenhower was the 34th president of the United States with a good sense for time management. His well-known matrix (or Eisenhower method) gives you a clear overview of important/ urgent tasks.
How does the Eisenhower method work?
The Eisenhower matrix has 4 categories, and you will need to determine how urgent or important each task is:
- urgent and important:
These tasks require immediate action and have a direct impact on short-term goals.
- important – not urgent:
Do not neglect your long-term goals in this category. These tasks may become urgent in the future.
- urgent – not important:
Don’t get easily distracted by minor tasks that seem urgent. Especially, if they do not contribute directly to your goals. Minimise your time spent on these tasks or delegate them.
- not urgent – not important:
Ask yourself: Are these tasks worth your time or can they be ignored? Whatever the answer, don’t spend so much thought and time on minor to-dos.
What does this mean?
The Eisenhower method helps you to efficiently rank your tasks. Concentrate first on category 1 tasks (urgent and important) and check in regularly with category 2 tasks (important – not urgent).
Short-term and long-term goals sorted out: The Eisenhower matrix helps you keep an overview of all your key objectives. By using the method, you will learn how to prioritise your time.
Just one more tip: Be honest on what “important” means. Urgent is usually easy to determine. However, perfectionists tend to classify everything as important and forget to delegate.
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