Eisenhower's Productivity Matrix

What is the Eisenhower Matrix?

Definition: The Eisenhower Matrix is a simple four-quadrant diagram for structuring your tasks in order of importance and urgency. Named after its creator, President Dwight Eisenhower, the matrix has been used by corporations and individuals to boost productivity for decades.

The matrix is used to divide the time we spend working into categories of urgency and importance, ranked accordingly:

1. Important and urgent
2. Not important and urgent
3. Important and not urgent
4. Not important and not urgent

By structuring your time and tasks in this way, you can avoid mindlessly working on various things for hours on end and instead focus your mindless effort where it belongs and pay concentrated attention to the tasks that deserve it.