A time management matrix is an ultimate tool to organise your hectic life. You can swiftly put all your work in the right order, and still have time left for a power nap!
If you want to put your time into perspective, check out the Worldometer website. Watching all the action going on the world can make you feel like time is slipping away.
So, what does a Time Management Matrix look and like and how do you use it? Read on to find out more and level up your personal development.
Table of Contents
What Is The Time Management Matrix?
The Time Management Matrix is an easy tool you can use to prioritise your daily tasks. Stephen Covey, an American educator and businessman, created the matrix. He wanted people to differentiate between important and urgent things.
Instead of ploughing your way through everything, as quickly as you can. You can organise each task in priority order. We don’t all have the same attitude to deadlines as the late Douglas Adams did. However, his quote was one of the best!
I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.
Douglas Adams
This smart organisational tool can help you work stress-free and never miss a deadline again. It can eliminate information overload and stop you from running around, chasing your tail.
You won’t realise what a difference it can make to your life till you start using one.
You will become a time management professional!
How To Use The Time Management Matrix
You will be pleased to know that the matrix is easy to use. I am not going to tell you to go on a course or read a book; you only need to follow some simple instructions.
Free Matrix Template
Here is a free matrix template that you can download and print off. You can download the template and fill it in, so it is personal for you.
You will be organising yourself in no time at all!
Different Sections of the Time Management Matrix
You can see that the matrix is in four separate squares.
All you need to do is follow the numbers and work your way through them in a set sequence. Follow the notes below to help you fill in your matrix and start managing your workload efficiently.
1. Important and Urgent
This square is the 1st section that you need to fill in. Look at all your tasks for the day and place the most urgent and important ones here.
You might still be wondering what sort of things go in this area. Well, consider the following examples, so that you can get a feel for it.
- Any project that has an urgent deadline
- An emergencies
- Problems
- Anything else that is very important. For example, something that has a deadline for the next day.
2. Important and Not Urgent
The 2nd section is for important things, but they are not urgent. Examples of these would be as follows:
- It would help if you did some planning for something.
- Detail the main goals and long-term projects that you are doing.
- Time for you to relax and do something you enjoy, e.g. a hobby etc.
- Building relationships, work and personal
3. Not Important and Urgent
The 3rd section is fascinating. You can have things that happen in your life that are not too important. But they are urgent because you need to do something about them. Here are some examples, so you understand what I mean:
- Some individual emails that you have to reply to
- Calls that you might receive
- Distractions or things that interrupt you
- Planned meetings
- Tracking your time in general
4. Not Important and Not Urgent
The final and 4th section is things that are not important and not urgent.
Things that go in this section are still relevant and need some consideration, even if they are not particularly important or urgent.
- Popping on social media when it is not work-related
- Surfing on the internet
- Any escape or time-wasting opportunity, like the two listed above
- Some email and calls that are unnecessary
Takeaways
We work through hundreds of tasks every month. There is no wonder that sometimes we can feel a bit frazzled. However, if you use this time management template, you can get yourself organised.
I reckon if you have never done one before you will be surprised how easy it is to use. You will get things done quicker. Also, you will have more free time. Sounds like a result to me! Enjoy!
It would be great if you could leave your comments on this blog post and let me know how it helped you 🙂
If you are looking for more time management articles, you can find them here! Also, don’t forget to subscribe to The Leslie Link to get personal development blog posts straight to your inbox 🙂
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Sally Leslie is a motivational coach and optimist. She helps freelancers and entrepreneurs create balance in their lives and work towards their personal and professional goals. Sally is also a B2B freelance writer for entrepreneurs, SMEs, and startups. A lover of plants, freedom, and football!
