A Great Project Starts With a Prioritized Plan

Don't let poor planning derail your next project. Use this matrix in 4todo to build a smarter, more resilient plan that focuses on value, mitigates risk, and sets your team up for success.

DO FIRST

  • Secure final sign-off for project kickoff

  • Onboard a critical team member before the start date

  • Finalize budget that is due for approval

PLAN THIS WEEK

  • Define clear project goals and success metrics

  • Conduct thorough stakeholder analysis and communication planning

  • Identify potential risks and create a mitigation plan

DELEGATE

  • Choose the perfect color palette for the project dashboard

  • Schedule all recurring meetings for the entire year

  • Research alternative project management tools 'just in case'

SKIP IF NEEDED

  • Planning features that are out of scope ('scope creep')

  • Spending weeks on a detailed plan for a minor, internal project

  • Creating overly complex documentation that no one will read

checklist

That's a lot to remember!

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✓Based on the Eisenhower Matrix framework
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How to Use the Priority Matrix

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Start with Red (Important + Urgent)

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.

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Schedule Yellow (Important + Not Urgent)

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.

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Delegate Blue (Not Important + Urgent)

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.

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Skip Gray (Not Important + Not Urgent)

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Eisenhower Matrix improve the project planning phase?

It forces the planning team to focus on the 'Important/Not Urgent' quadrant right from the start. This is where you do the strategic work—like risk assessment and defining clear goals—that prevents the project from being derailed by 'urgent' problems later on.

Can this matrix be used to prioritize project features?

Absolutely. It's a powerful tool for feature prioritization. 'Urgent/Important' might be features needed for a contractual deadline. 'Important/Not Urgent' are your core value-add features. 'Urgent/Not Important' could be stakeholder requests that don't align with the core goals. This brings immense clarity to your roadmap.

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Ready to Get Organized?

Save this task list to your 4todo account and start prioritizing what matters most.

  • ✓Organize tasks using the proven Eisenhower Matrix method
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