Time management isn't about doing more things—it's about doing the right things. When your calendar feels like your boss rather than your tool, you've lost control. This Eisenhower Matrix template provides a framework for conscious choice about where your time goes, helping you invest your most valuable resource in activities that actually matter.
Handle crisis requiring immediate attention
Genuine crises demand immediate response—address fully, then return to planning.
Complete task with hard deadline today
Same-day deadlines get priority attention—everything else waits.
Respond to unexpected time-sensitive problem
Unexpected urgency happens—handle it, then analyze how to prevent recurrence.
Address health or family emergency
Personal emergencies override work priorities—take care of what matters.
Fix issue causing immediate negative consequences
Problems that compound require immediate intervention—stop the bleeding.
Plan your week and set priorities
Weekly planning prevents daily chaos—invest 30 minutes to save hours.
Exercise and maintain health habits
Health enables everything else—treat exercise as non-negotiable.
Build and maintain important relationships
Relationships require investment—schedule time for people who matter.
Learn skills that advance your goals
Skill development compounds—invest regularly in your growth.
Work on long-term projects before they become urgent
Proactive work prevents crisis—chip away consistently at big goals.
Attend meetings without clear purpose
Purposeless meetings waste collective time—request agenda or decline.
Respond immediately to most emails and messages
Most communications can wait—batch responses to protect focus.
Help others with their low-priority tasks
Saying yes to everything means saying no to your priorities—be selective.
Handle routine administrative tasks
Administrative work can be batched—schedule for low-energy periods.
Run errands that could be combined or delegated
Errands consume time invisibly—batch together or eliminate.
Scroll social media mindlessly
Mindless scrolling consumes hours—notice the habit and redirect.
Watch content you're not enjoying
Passive consumption provides neither rest nor progress—choose actively.
Worry about things outside your control
Worry without action wastes energy—focus on your sphere of influence.
Perfect low-stakes tasks beyond requirements
Perfectionism on trivial matters steals from what matters—know when enough is enough.
Engage in activities that leave you feeling worse
Not all leisure refreshes—notice what actually restores your energy.
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.
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