Time Management Matrix

Urgent Not urgent

1 2
1. PREPARATION

1. CRISES 2. PLANNING
Important

2. PRESSING PROBLEMS 3. RELATIONSHIP BUILDING

3. DEADLINE-DRIVEN PROJECTS, 4. SELF-DEVELOPMENT

MEETINGS, PREPARATIONS
5. DEVELOP AND EMPOWER
OTHERS (e.g. delegation)

6. “PURPOSEFUL” RECREATION

3 4
1. TRIVIA
Not important

1. INTERRUPTIONS, SOME 2. JUNK MAIL

PHONE CALLS
3. SOME PHONE CALLS
2. SOME MAIL, SOME REPORTS
4. TIME WASTERS
3. SOME MEETINGS
5. “MINDLESS” ESCAPE
ACTIVITIES

6. ‘SOCIALISING’

1 – the quadrant of “DAILY REALITY”

2 – the quadrant of “QUALITY”

3 – the quadrant of “DECEPTION”

4 – the quadrant of “WASTE”

(Source: Covey, 1994, “First Things First”)

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Quadrant 1
We need to spend time in this quadrant.

This quadrant acts on us. It is unavoidable and can never be totally eliminated –
however, if we ignore it we become buried alive!

This is where we manage, we produce and where we bring our experience and skills
to bear in responding to many needs and challenges.

We also need to face the fact that many activities have arrived in this quadrant
because of procrastination and inefficient planning and preparation, that we must
take some responsibility for.

Quadrant 2

This quadrant is where we increase our ability to do. It is about personal leadership
and organisation.

Ignoring this quadrant feeds and enlarges Quadrant 1.

Investing in this quadrant shrinks Quadrant 1.

Quadrant 2 does not act on us; we must act on it.

Quadrant 3

This is almost the phantom of Quadrant 1.

The “noise” of urgency creates the illusion of importance but the actual activities, if
indeed they are important at all, are often only or much more important to someone
else!

We spend a lot of time in this quadrant, meeting other peoples’ priorities and
expectations …………… thinking we are in Quadrant 1.

Quadrant 4

We really shouldn’t be here at all but we get so battle scarred from being tossed
around in quadrants 1 and 3 that we often escape to here for what we perceive to be
“survival”.

However, it is not survival – this is only really enabled by Quadrant 2 activities – it is

more like deterioration. It may have a short term ‘feel good ‘ effect to go into this
quadrant but in the long term it adds to our time management pressures.

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 The KEY to effective time management
We need to look at the two primary factors that determine how we choose to use our
time:

URGENCY

IMPORTANCE

Knowing and doing what is important rather than simply responding to what is urgent
is crucial if we wish to improve our time management.

Do you operate from a mind-set of urgency or importance?

Check out your urgency index by completing the questionnaire provided. Then ask
yourself the following:

How much does urgency control you?

Are you over using time management tools and techniques that actually feed
your focus on the urgent and keeps you rooted in Quadrant 1?

Daily checklists/reminders – then, if things are not finished, you put

them on your new list for tomorrow!

Do you let others dominate your time and keep you rooted in Quadrant 3?

Do you need to reduce your emphasis on dealing with the urgent and
increase the time you spend dealing with the important in Quadrant 2?

We now need to start identifying the important. So, ask yourself the following:

What are the things (identify at least one) you know that if you did superbly
well and consistently would have significant positive results in the way you
work?

Are you sufficiently using the sort of time management tools that are more
likely to enable you to achieve this and move you more in to Quadrant 2?

Diary/calendar/personal planner approaches with time for important

activities scheduled in

Setting of short and longer term goals, with required actions and
realistic timescales and resource commitments

Having analysed your commitment to urgency and importance, you are now ready to
start deciding what YOU are actually going to try and do to improve YOUR time
management.

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The Urgency Index (Covey, 1994) Circle the number along the matrix that most
closely represents your normal behaviours or attitudes –
0 = never 2 = sometimes 4 = always

I seem to do my best work when under pressure 0 1 2 3 4

I often blame the rush and pressure of external things for my
failure to spend time planning and preparing 0 1 2 3 4
I am often frustrated by the slowness of people and things
around me. I hate waiting 0 1 2 3 4

I feel guilty when I take time off work 0 1 2 3 4

I always seem to be rushing between places and events 0 1 2 3 4

I frequently find myself pushing people away so that I can
finish a project 0 1 2 3 4
I feel anxious when I’m out of touch with the office for more
than a few minutes 0 1 2 3 4
I’m often preoccupied with one thing when I am doing
something else 0 1 2 3 4

I’m at my best when handling a crisis situation 0 1 2 3 4

The adrenaline rush from a new crisis seems more satisfying
to me than the steady accomplishment of long-term results 0 1 2 3 4
I often give up quality time with important people in my life to
handle a crisis at work 0 1 2 3 4
I assume people will naturally understand if I have to
disappoint them or let things go in order to handle a crisis 0 1 2 3 4
I rely on solving some crisis to give my day a sense of
meaning and purpose 0 1 2 3 4

I often eat lunch or other meals while I work 0 1 2 3 4

I keep thinking that some day I’ll be able to do what I really
want to do 0 1 2 3 4
A huge stack in my out tray at the end of the day makes me
feel like I have been really productive 0 1 2 3 4

What sort of score do you think might Total score out of possible 64:
represent an “urgency addiction” that
dominates your working life?

Do you need to lower your score?

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 Action planning
First - complete the matrix below.

Think carefully and be honest about the way you spend time currently.

Think carefully and be realistic about the targets you are going to set.

Second – draft the action plan template, reflect on it, discuss it with others, fine tune
it and then do it!

Urgent Not urgent

1 2
% time you spend here = % % time you spend here = %
Important

Target % time to spend here Target % time to spend here

in future = in future =
% %

3 4
Not important

% time you spend here = % % time you spend here = %

Target % time to spend here Target % time to spend here

in future = in future =
% %

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 Time management action plan

Matrix quadrants Action Timescale/tools/techniques/resources

needed

Things that keep me in Quadrant 1 for % Things I WILL do to reduce these things OR
of my time at the moment: make me more efficient at dealing with them in
order to achieve my target time:

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 Matrix quadrants Action Timescale/tools/techniques/resources
needed

Things that keep me in Quadrant 3 for Things I WILL do to reduce or eliminate these
% of my time at the moment things in order to achieve my target time:

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 Matrix quadrants Action Timescale/tools/techniques/resources
needed

Things I do to escape in to Quadrant 4 for Things I WILL do to reduce or eliminate these

% of my time at the moment: things in order to achieve my target time:

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Consider the actions you have drafted in your action plan in order
to address Quadrants 1,3 and 4

Is this going to be enough to move you into Quadrant 2 for your target
% time? – think carefully – look back at the matrix again – there are 6
areas of activity you should be concentrating on – have you included
them? - you may need to re-visit the matrix on page 1 to remind yourself of
the 6 areas

NOW – prioritise them and turn them into key SMART objectives.
List your SMART objectives in priority order below:

Specific - what exactly are you going to do? What tools/techniques will you use to
help?
Measurable - what measures/targets will you set?
Achievable - are you capable of doing it?
Realistic - do you have enough motivation? Is your timescale sensible?
Timebound - what will be your target time to achieve by?

Continue on a separate sheet if needed

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