To-do lists. That's what we start calling our list of chores when we get older because, frankly, it makes us sound more like adults who have their lives together. But it's still the same thing: a list of things you need to do before you can do the things you want to do.
The problem is, it can be a bit daunting to stare at your long list of to-dos. 'Where am I possibly supposed to start from?' you might ask yourself. That's of course where prioritisation comes in, and that's not always as easy a task as one might think... or is it?
Let me introduce you to the Eisenhower Matrix.
No, not that Matrix. This one:
It's actually a pretty simple concept, despite its name. The idea is that you prioritise your tasks by factoring in both urgency and importance. In doing so, it becomes pretty clear which tasks you should start working on immediately, and which you can afford to leave for a later date.
So, let's break it down. You'll need to start off with two columns. The first one is where you'll list all of your urgent tasks, so ones that need to be done ASAP. The second column is for tasks that aren't too time-sensitive. Simple enough, right? Now you'll need to split your columns into two separate rows. Your top row will be for tasks that you consider important, while the bottom row is where you'll write down those to-dos that are not as crucial.
Once you've done all that, you should find yourself with four beautifully empty (for now) boxes:
Urgent + Important
Important + Not Urgent
Urgent + Not Important
Not Urgent + Not Important
Pretty straightforward, no?
Well, the point is that each box represents what you should do with whatever task/s have been placed inside it. Basically, anything you put into Box 1 (Urgent + Imp) is what you should be prioritising, what you should be getting done immediately. Whatever's in Box 2 (Just Imp), then, you should try and tackle next, in order to stop them from becoming urgent and thus causing you even more stress than you already have. Box 3 (Just Urgent) is a bit of a tricky one. The idea is to delegate whatever to-dos you have there, but if you don't really have anyone you could delegate them to, you should probably try and get it out of the way soon. Lastly, we've come to my favourite part: Box 4. Do you know what happens to anything that finds itself in this corner of the matrix? It gets scratched out and deleted from your mind once and for all. Because if something is on your to-do list that is neither urgent nor important, why is it even there in the first place?
Pro tip: for maximum productivity (and to help save the planet) forget the pen-and-paper method all together and just download an app that does all the preliminary work for you. I use this one, and I find it really easy to use. Make sure you give it a go, especially when assignment/exam season rolls around!
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