Eisenhower Matrix Template
Decide which tasks you should do first, which you can delegate, and which are optional by using the Eisenhower Matrix. Prioritize tasks based on urgency or delegate like a pro (or like a President).
Trusted by 65M+ users and leading companies
About the Eisenhower Matrix Template
We’ve all been there: you sit down to start your day, and you’re so overwhelmed by the tasks you need to complete that you don’t know where to start. Emails pile up, you have errands to run... How do you sort through the chaos? Meet, the Eisenhower matrix, a decision-making framework designed by former American president Dwight D. Eisenhower.
The Eisenhower decision matrix template helps you prioritize tasks based on their urgency and importance. Instead of struggling to figure out in what order you should complete your tasks, decide which ones are urgent, which can be delegated, and which are optional.
How to use the Eisenhower matrix template
Making your own Eisenhower matrix is easy with Miro's template. You can easily visualize tasks in each quadrant of the matrix, adding images, videos, or documents to keep track of everything in one place. For a dynamic overview, you can even integrate Jira cards as action items to keep track of the current status of any task.
Here's a step-by-step guide to using the Eisenhower matrix template effectively:
Step 1: Fill in the "Do First" quadrant
The tasks in the upper left quadrant are the most important. They need to be done today. For example, answer an urgent email from your boss, or make a doctor’s appointment.
Step 2: Fill in the "Schedule" quadrant
Tasks in the upper right quadrant are important, but not pressing. These are things you can schedule for the future and that you need to put in your calendar. Catching up with a friend or meeting with your coworker about a non-urgent topic can fall into this category. The bulk of your tasks should fall into this quadrant.
Step 3: Fill in the "Delegate" quadrant
The lower left quadrant is for tasks that are not as important as the urgent tasks, but should still get done promptly. Make sure to follow up on delegated tasks, to ensure they were executed properly. If someone calls you into a meeting, for example, you could delegate the task by asking a teammate to take the meeting instead.
Step 4: Complete the "Don’t Do" quadrant
The lower right quadrant is for tasks you don’t need to do at all. Think about the tasks that allow you to procrastinate and keep you from getting things done. Things like scrolling through social media might fall into this category.
Step 5: Reassess your matrix and keep it up-to-date
Iterate on your matrix as needed. Your priorities might change during the day or as other tasks come up, so use the template to quickly add, move, or change tasks as your schedule evolves.
Why should you use the Eisenhower Matrix template?
An Eisenhower decision matrix template can be particularly useful for various reasons:
1. Prioritization: It helps sharpen your focus on the most important tasks, thereby increasing productivity by keeping the vital tasks in the foreground.
2. Delegation: The template clearly identifies the tasks that can be delegated, promoting efficient teamwork and time management.
3. Stress Reduction: By categorizing tasks, the matrix reduces the overwhelm of long to-do lists, which eases anxiety and provides a clear path for action.
4. Time Management: It allows you to identify tasks that should not consume valuable time, making it easier to use your work hours more efficiently.
5. Strategic Planning: The matrix supports long-term planning by distinguishing between tasks that require immediate attention and those that contribute to long-term goals.
Can the Eisenhower Matrix be used for team projects?
Absolutely. The matrix is not limited to individual task management. It is a powerful tool for teams to align on priorities and ensure that everyone is focused on the right tasks.
Is the matrix suitable for personal and professional use?
Yes, the Eisenhower Matrix is versatile and can be used in both personal and professional contexts to manage any type of task effectively.
How often should the matrix be updated?
It is recommended to review and update the matrix regularly, ideally at the start of each day or week, to reflect the evolving priorities and tasks.
Is there a preferred format for presenting the information within the template?
It's essential to keep your Eisenhower Matrix organized, clear, and easy to read. Miro enables you to add visual assets and color-code stickies for better visibility.
Get started with this template right now.
Event Planning Template
Works best for:
Planning, Workshops
Whether you’re planning a product launch, fully remote conference, or milestone event, the Event Planning Template will act as a visual checklist and map for all the details you need to consider before the big day. The Event Planning Template is an adaptable way to make sure the creative and strategic vision of your event doesn’t get lost in the details. By mapping out different sections - from the marketing plan, to the agenda, to snacks and swag for guests — you and your team can focus on the details most important to your functions, and collaborate as needed when overlaps occur.
Startup Canvas Template
Works best for:
Leadership, Documentation, Strategic Planning
A Startup Canvas helps founders express and map out a new business idea in a less formal format than a traditional business plan. Startup Canvases are a useful visual map for founders who want to judge their new business idea’s strengths and weaknesses. This Canvas can be used as a framework to quickly articulate your business idea’s value proposition, problem, solution, market, team, marketing channels, customer segment, external risks, and Key Performance Indicators. By articulating factors like success, viability, vision, and value to the customer, founders can make a concise case for why a new product or service should exist and get funded.
Product Roadmap Template
Works best for:
Product Management, Roadmaps
Product roadmaps help communicate the vision and progress of what’s coming next for your product. It’s an important asset for aligning teams and valuable stakeholders – including executives, engineering, marketing, customer success, and sales – around your strategy and priorities. Product roadmapping can inform future project management, describe new features and product goals, and spell out the lifecycle of a new product. While product roadmaps are customizable, most contain information about the products you’re building, when you’re building them, and the people involved at each stage.
Process Map Template
Works best for:
Agile Methodology, Product Management, Mapping
Process mapping allows you to assess, document, and strategize around any plan or approach your team has put in place. It’s a useful tool for eliminating or preventing blockers. Organized by stages, a process map enables your team to divide up a process or system and record deliverables and action items at each stage of the process. By breaking down the objectives, activities and deliverables at any stage of a project, you can gain insight into whether you are on track or effectively working through a problem.
Bull's Eye Diagram Template
Works best for:
Diagrams, Project Management, Prioritization
When you’re a growing organization, every decision can feel like it has make-or-break consequences—which can lead to decision paralysis, an inability to prioritize, inefficient meetings, and even low morale. If that sounds like you, put a Bull’s Eye Diagram to work. True to its name, a Bull’s Eye Diagram uses a model of concentric circles to help companies establish priorities, make critical decisions, or discuss how to remove or overcome obstacles.
Mad Sad Glad Retrospective
Works best for:
Brainstorming, Ideation
It's tempting to measure a sprint’s success solely by whether goals and timelines were met. But there’s another important success metric: emotions. And Mad Sad Glad is a popular, effective technique for teams to explore and share their emotions after a sprint. That allows you to highlight the positive, underline the concerns, and decide how to move forward as a team. This template makes it easy to conduct a Mad Sad Glad that helps you build trust, improve team morale, and increase engagement.