“Putting first things first means organizing and executing around your most important priorities. It is living and being driven by the principles you value most, not by the agendas and forces surrounding you.” - Dr Stephen Covey

 Quote from Habit 3: Put First Things First

2x2 Matrix

Click here to download the 2x2 Matrix form

"Ready. Fire. Aim." Doesn't work for hunting either.

At the top you have the qualifiers: Urgent & Not Urgent. On the left you have the qualifiers: Important & Not Important. Everything action you perform can be placed within 1 of 4 Quadrants.

Quadrant 1: Urgent & Important is what you do immediately. It might be a crises job on the floor.

Quadrant 2: Not Urgent & Important should be done next. It might be an RCA or writing a recommendation for improvement of process.

Quadrant 3: Urgent & Not Important should be done or delegated as needed. It might be an unimportant phone call or email.

Quadrant 4: Not Urgent & Not Important should be delayed. It might be cleaning your desk.

Take a minute and think about your tasks from yesterday. What Quadrants do they fit into? Maybe even print out the blank 2x2 Matrix below and jot them down.

Now which Quadrants have the most tasks in them?

Ideally, we ought to spend most of our time in Quadrant 2. Realistically, most of our tasks are probably in Quadrant 1 & 3. That's because Urgency tends to take priority over Importance unless you actively take control. That's what the 2x2 Matrix is designed to do, help you take control of your decisions.

Quadrant 4 also may have more tasks in it than it should, if you were honest. That's because when we are flooded with Urgent tasks all day, our minds seek rest, so we run to a task that is Not Urgent. But rather than choose a task that is Important, we choose one that is Not Important because it is less like work and more like rest. Quadrant 2 then is left with very few tasks and we further handicap ourselves because the truly Important things are being neglected and sooner than later will end up being Urgent & Important...and more Urgent than Important.

Try the 2x2 Matrix this week. Print out the PDF and write each task on your To-Do list. See if you can increase your Quadrant 2 tasks progressively. Click here to download the form below or click on the form itself.

The 2x2 Matrix was originated by Steven Covey, in his book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

https://www.franklincovey.com/the-7-habits/habit-3.html

"Quadrant 1: Urgent & Important" Stop reading and do this now!

"Quadrant 2: Not Urgent & Important" This should always be next.

"Quadrant 3: Urgent & Not Important" This must be delegated or scheduled.

"Quadrant 4: Not Urgent & Not Important" Come on, just take a break.

"Ideally, we ought to spend most of our time in Quadrant 2"

"Realistically, most of our tasks are probably in Quadrant 1 & 3"