In the life of every modern person, an important place is occupied by the ability to manage your time. We are all hurrying somewhere, fussing about, but at the end of the day we do not see the results of our activity. We complain about the lack of time, and we ourselves carelessly spend it in empty conversations and useless matters. How to learn how to properly manage your time and increase the effectiveness of its use?
The Eisenhower matrix is an example of the correct distribution of our time, the so-called time management tool. For the first time this method was described by Stephen Covey in the book "The main attention - the main things." But the idea of the technique belongs to Eisenhower, 34 to the US president.
According to the time management, all the cases that a person encounters must be analyzed and evaluated according to criteria is important - it does not matter, urgently - not urgently. The Eisenhower matrix is a schematic representation of this formula. It is divided into four squares, in each of which cases are recorded according to importance and urgency.
To use the Eisenhower matrix, you need to record all the cases that you plan to perform within a certain time.
1. Important and urgent matters. This category includes cases that do not delay the delay. The solution of these problems is paramount. Neither laziness nor force majeure circumstances should affect their implementation.
Examples of important and urgent cases:
- working project, the deadline for which is about to expire;
- unscheduled visits to the doctor, for example, in the case of severe toothache or serious injury;
- urgent call to an important client.
2. Matters are important, but not urgent. This category includes cases of heightened importance, but which you can defer for some time. Although these cases can wait, you should not postpone them for a long time, because then you will have to carry them out in a hurry.
Examples of cases:
- planned work in the company related to current projects;
- current work on your projects;
- development of new projects;
- regular attendance of sports training.
3. Cases are not important, but urgent. Usually in this square are recorded cases that have no effect on your life goals. They need to be done at a certain time, but they do not carry any valuable work in your activity.
Examples of cases:
- to congratulate the relative on his birthday. Urgently - because the birthday is today, and it does not matter - because this case does not bring any results, except for showing respect to a relative.
- encounters imposed on you by others, you must go so as not to offend friends, but this matter is not so important for your life.
4. Not important and not urgent matters. This square is the most harmful. It does not include urgent matters, which are not important in life. But, unfortunately, this category includes most of our affairs.
Examples of cases:
- reading glossy magazines;
- viewing useless TV shows;
- gossip with girlfriends;
- games on the computer.
The list can be infinite. Many people think that these things are good for recreation. But even as a holiday, in their free time, these things are not just useless, but even harmful. Rest, too, must be able to qualitatively.
How does the matrix work?
By distributing all your upcoming business in squares, you will see how much time you give to important and useful cases, and how much is unnecessary and meaningless.
Filling out the Eisenhower priorities matrix, pay more attention to the first column "urgent - important." Do these things first, after them carry out important, but not urgent duties and urgent, but not important. The fourth category of cases do not perform at all - they do not carry any valuable burden in your life.