Time Management Matrix

 To-Do Lists  

Have you ever had a to-do list that was seemingly impossible to overcome? The issue with our list of to-dos is how often we lack direction. I often look at my to-do list and am fathomed where to even start.  Luckily, this semester my professor introduced me to the time management matrix. It's a wonderful and easy to understand tool to help you prioritize your to-do list. 

Time Management Matrix

Importance and Urgency 

The first thing to know when using the time management matrix is what qualifies as important or urgent. 

• Important: totally up to you. What is important to you? This can be from paying a bill to painting your walls bright red. 
• Urgent: The task has a deadline that must be met. 

Quadrants + Prioritizing 

Quadrant 1 - Stress Central      

This is where tasks that are urgent and important belong. Examples of tasks in this quadrant are assignments due that day, bills due that night, and emergencies. This is a quadrant that we can't always avoid because disasters happen, but by managing our time and prioritizing our tasks, we can spend a minimal amount of time in it. 

Quadrant 2 - Zen Zone 

This is the quadrant that we want to spend the majority of our time in. In this quadrant, we are doing important tasks, which in turn brings us fulfillment. In this quadrant, we're also completing tasks before they become urgent so that they do not become stressful. In this quadrant, we're doing assignments before the deadlines, paying bills before they're due, spending time with family, or working on a passion project. When we spend the majority of our time in this zone, we can be zen. 

Quadrant 3 - Valley of Those Little Things 

This is the zone of things that need to get done but may not be important to you. These are the little tasks we often have no desire to do because they may not feel important, but they need to get done. An example could be the pile of dirty dishes in your sink. Tasks in this zone need to get done but are below quadrant 1 and quadrant two. 

Quadrant 4 - Land of the Lost

This quadrant is the land of the lost. This is where our time goes when we don't know where it is going. We are in quadrant 4 when we do things that are not urgent and unimportant, meaning the task does not give us a sense of meaning. For me, this is scrolling through Instagram and going down a rabbit hole of trying to understand a famous person's life. Scrolling through Instagram is not urgent, and it does not give me a sense of meaning or joy, so it is unimportant. This is the zone that we want to minimize our time in. This where we go to lose time. 

Effective Time Management 

Effective time management is when we spend the majority of our time in quadrant 2. We start our day in quadrant 1 and spend the majority in quadrant 2. Here, we are doing projects that are important and not urgent. This minimizes stress. In quadrant 2, we are not only working ahead of the deadline, but we are doing things that give us joy, like spending time with our S.O, working on our passion project, and doing the things that make us happy. After quadrant 2, we want to spend some time in quadrant three to keep up with daily life. And, of course, we want to minimize our time in quadrant 4. 

So, next time you feel an overwhelming to-do list, try this matrix out. It's life-changing! Enjoy!