Stephen Coveys 4 Quadrant Time Matrix

AT THE RIGHT TIME SETTING PRIORITIES Stephen Coveys 4 Quadrant Time Matrix
Important

Urgent

II

Not Urgent

Crisis Unscheduled client mtg Pressing problems Deadline-driven projects

Preparation Prevention Planning Relationship building Empowerment

Quadrant 1: Quadrant of Necessity Not Important

Quadrant 2: Quadrant of Quality and Personal Leadership

III
Interruptions, Some meetings Popularity actions Peer pressure

IV
Trivial activities Some phone calls Time wasters Escape activities Irrelevant mail Excessive TV

Quadrant 3: Quadrant of Deception

Quadrant 4: Quadrant of Waste

Actual time spend

I
Urgent
30%

Important

II

Not Urgent
5%

Crisis Unscheduled client meeting Pressing problems Deadline-driven projects

Preparation Prevention Planning Relationship building Empowerment/ improving health

Quadrant 1: Quadrant of Necessity Not important

III
Interruptions, Some meetings Popularity actions Peer pressure

50%

IV

Quadrant 2: Quadrant of Quality and Personal Leadership 15%

Trivial activities Some phone calls Time wasters Escape activities Irrelevant mail Excessive TV

Quadrant 3: Quadrant of Deception

Quadrant 4: Quadrant of Waste

This quadrant screams for our attention because of its urgent and consequential nature Strategy: take proactive preventive measure

reap the most reward in the long run reflect your life goals and desires Strategic Activities Q-2 is essentially a gold mine makes me prioritize it over every other activity.

Not Important

A good way to differentiat e Q-3 from Q-1 task is to ask yourself: Is this task related to my goals? Does doing this make any difference to me? Delegate

Important

Urgent
20%

Crisis Unscheduled client meeting Pressing problems Deadline-driven projects Quadrant 1: Quadrant of Necessity

II

Not Urgent
75%

Preparation Prevention Planning Relationship building Empowerment

Quadrant 2: Quadrant of Quality and Personal Leadership

Interruptions, Some meetings Popularity actions Peer pressure Quadrant 3: Quadrant of Deception

III

5%

IV

0%

Trivial activities Some phone calls Time wasters Escape activities Irrelevant mail Quadrant Excessive TV 4: Quadrant of Waste