Eisenhower Matrix
Not everything urgent is important. Drop each task into one of four boxes by how urgent and how important it really is — then you'll know exactly what to do first, what to schedule, what to hand off, and what to let go.
Urgent & important — do these now.
Important, not urgent — plan a time.
Urgent, not important — hand it off.
Not urgent, not important — drop it.
Tip: use the dropdown on any task to move it to another quadrant. Everything is saved on this device only.
What the Eisenhower Matrix is
Named after U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower — who reportedly said, “What is important is seldom urgent and what is urgent is seldom important” — the matrix is a simple way to decide what deserves your attention. You judge each task on two questions: Is it urgent? and Is it important? Those two answers place every task into one of four quadrants, and each quadrant comes with its own action.
The trick: urgency shouts, importance whispers. Left unchecked, urgent-but-unimportant work (pings, “quick” favours, low-stakes email) quietly crowds out the important work that actually moves your life and projects forward.
How to use the four quadrants
- Do First — urgent and important. Crises, hard deadlines, real emergencies. Handle these today, but aim to keep the pile small.
- Schedule — important but not urgent. Deep work, planning, health, relationships, learning. Put these on the calendar; this is where great outcomes come from.
- Delegate — urgent but not important. Someone needs it soon, but it doesn't need you. Hand it off or automate it.
- Eliminate — neither urgent nor important. Busywork and distractions. Be honest and cut them.
Three tips to get more from it
- Empty your head first. Dump every task in before you sort — you can only prioritise what you can see.
- Protect the Schedule quadrant. Block time for important-not-urgent work with a time-blocking plan before the day fills with other people's urgencies.
- Then focus. Once “Do First” is clear, run each item as a set of focused sprints with the Pomodoro timer so big tasks actually get finished.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Eisenhower Matrix?
It's a prioritization method that sorts tasks along two axes — urgency and importance — into four quadrants: Do First, Schedule, Delegate and Eliminate. It helps you focus on what truly matters instead of just reacting to whatever feels pressing.
What is the difference between urgent and important?
Urgent tasks demand attention now and are usually tied to a deadline or someone else's timeline. Important tasks move your long-term goals forward. Many urgent things aren't important, and many important things never feel urgent until it's too late — that's exactly the trap the matrix exposes.
Which quadrant should I spend the most time in?
Aim to spend most of your time in Schedule — important tasks that aren't yet urgent. Investing there shrinks your Do First fire-fighting over time, because fewer important things get a chance to escalate into emergencies.
Turn focused hours into finished projects.
A timer keeps you on track. Wabi keeps your whole team on track — tasks, projects and boards that everyone can see, in real time.