Eisenhower Priority Matrix
Categorize tasks by urgency and importance.
The Four Quadrants
code
URGENT NOT URGENT
┌─────────────────┬─────────────────┐
│ │ │
IMPORTANT │ DO FIRST │ SCHEDULE │
│ (Q1) │ (Q2) │
│ │ │
├─────────────────┼─────────────────┤
│ │ │
NOT IMPORTANT│ DELEGATE │ ELIMINATE │
│ (Q3) │ (Q4) │
│ │ │
└─────────────────┴─────────────────┘
Quadrant Definitions
Q1: Do First (Urgent + Important)
Priority: !high
Action: Do immediately, add to today.md
Signs of Q1 tasks:
- •Deadlines today or tomorrow
- •Blocking other people
- •Production issues
- •Client-facing problems
- •Health/safety concerns
Q2: Schedule (Not Urgent + Important)
Priority: !medium
Action: Add to backlog, schedule specific time
Signs of Q2 tasks:
- •Long-term goals
- •Skill development
- •Relationship building
- •Strategic planning
- •Prevention and preparation
Q3: Delegate (Urgent + Not Important)
Priority: !low
Action: Can someone else do this?
Signs of Q3 tasks:
- •Interruptions
- •Some meetings
- •Some emails/messages
- •Other people's priorities
Q4: Eliminate (Not Urgent + Not Important)
Priority: Consider removing Action: Delete or move to someday.md
Signs of Q4 tasks:
- •Time wasters
- •Pleasant but unproductive
- •Busy work
- •Outdated tasks
Decision Tree
code
Is this task aligned with my goals?
├── No → ELIMINATE or SOMEDAY
└── Yes → Does it have a hard deadline within 48h?
├── Yes → Is it blocking others or high-impact?
│ ├── Yes → DO FIRST (!high)
│ └── No → DELEGATE if possible, else DO FIRST
└── No → Is it important for long-term success?
├── Yes → SCHEDULE (!medium)
└── No → DELEGATE or ELIMINATE (!low)
Application Rules
- •Daily limit: Max 3 tasks in "Do First"
- •Weekly balance: 60% Q2, 30% Q1, 10% Q3
- •Review trigger: If Q1 > 5 tasks, something is wrong
- •Q2 protection: Block time for important-not-urgent work
Reprioritization Triggers
Run /prioritize when:
- •New urgent task arrives
- •Deadline changes
- •Blocked on current task
- •End of day review
- •Weekly review