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).
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.
Keep reading to learn more about the Eisenhower matrix.
What is an Eisenhower matrix?
The Eisenhower matrix 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.
As the name suggests, the Eisenhower matrix is based on principles created by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Famously, Eisenhower prioritized based on urgency and importance. This simple but powerful rule of thumb was later systematized into the matrix.
When to use an Eisenhower matrix
Starting your day, you might find it helpful to plot out two Eisenhower matrices, one for personal tasks and one for professional tasks. Limit yourself to no more than eight tasks per quadrant, and before adding another one, consider whether you should complete the initial ones first.
Update your matrices throughout the day. But be careful not to spend too much time on them. Everyone is guilty of procrastinating by making to-do lists! Allocate a certain amount of time for your matrix, maybe five or ten minutes in the morning and another five or ten minutes at lunch, to avoid overthinking it.
Create your own Eisenhower matrix
Making your own Eisenhower matrix is easy. Miro’s virtual collaboration platform is the perfect canvas to create and share it. Get started by selecting the Eisenhower Matrix Template, then take the following steps to make one of your own.
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 throughout the day.
Iterate on your matrix as needed. Your priorities might change during the day; so feel free to use the template to quickly add, move, or change tasks as your schedule evolves.
Get started with this template right now.
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