Stop firefighting, start leading. Use this proven framework in 4todo to instantly clarify priorities, empower your team, and focus on the high-impact work that matters.
Address critical server outage affecting key clients
An urgent and important fire that needs immediate focus. This directly impacts revenue and reputation.
Prepare for a make-or-break board meeting in 2 hours
Resolve a team conflict that has halted the sprint progress
Develop the strategic plan for the next quarter
High-impact strategic work. Schedule dedicated, uninterrupted time for this to avoid reactive planning later.
Conduct 1-on-1 coaching with a high-potential team member
Review and refine the team's professional development budget
Approve a non-critical internal expense report
Feels urgent due to notifications, but isn't strategic. A perfect task to delegate or handle in a batch.
Respond to routine, low-priority emails
Add your input to a low-impact, company-wide survey
Micromanaging a task you've already delegated
Attending an optional meeting 'just to stay in the loop'
Endlessly tweaking the formatting of an internal presentation
Save your progress and never lose track of your tasks
Tasks in this quadrant are highly important, and the deadline is right around the corner. It's like having a paper due tonight or a client's system suddenly going down. You have to drop everything else, get on it right now, and give it your full focus. This is your top priority.
This is the foundation for your long-term success. These are things that matter for your future but aren't urgent right now, like learning a new skill, exercising, or planning for next month. Because they're not urgent, they're easy to forget. What you need to do is put them on your schedule, set a fixed time for them, and stick to it.
These tasks may seem urgent, but they're not important to you. They're the kind that interrupt your flow, like unnecessary meetings or small favors others ask of you. The best approach is to let someone else handle them or deal with them quickly, and don't let them steal your valuable time.
Tasks in this quadrant are neither important nor urgent. They're purely a drain on your time and energy, like mindlessly scrolling on your phone. The best approach is simply not to do them, and save that time for the tasks in the Yellow quadrant.
"Thanks to 4todo, our hectic wedding schedule was perfectly organized."
"4todo was an indispensable helper on my long-distance hike."
"Helps me ignore the noise and focus on what moves my work forward."
Save this task list to your 4todo account and start prioritizing what matters most.
No credit card • setup less 1-minute