Eisenhower Matrix
Stop doing everything and start doing the right things. Sort tasks by urgency and importance into four boxes: Do (now), Schedule (later), Delegate (someone else) or Eliminate (skip entirely). Tick tasks as done, auto-saves in your browser, exports as SVG, PNG, JSON or text.
Auto-saved in your browser's localStorage on this device only. Nothing is uploaded.
How to use this eisenhower matrix
- Start by dumping every task on your mind — don't sort yet. Getting them out of your head is the first step.
- For each task, ask two questions: 'Does this have a hard deadline?' (urgent) and 'Does this move a long-term goal forward?' (important). Place it in the matching quadrant.
- Quadrant 2 (important, not urgent) is the one that matters most. Block time for it first — meetings and email will fill the rest automatically.
- Tick the checkbox when a task is done. Items you keep moving between quadrants are a sign the task is too vague — break it into smaller pieces.
- Export your matrix as PNG for a standup or team update, or JSON to re-import tomorrow.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Eisenhower Matrix?
A prioritisation method that sorts tasks into four boxes based on urgency and importance: Do (urgent + important), Schedule (important, not urgent), Delegate (urgent, not important), Eliminate (neither). Named after US President Eisenhower, who reportedly said 'What is important is seldom urgent, and what is urgent is seldom important.'
Why does Quadrant 2 matter most?
Quadrant 2 is where long-term growth lives — exercise, learning, strategic planning, relationship building. Nobody puts a deadline on these, so they never feel urgent. They get crowded out by email, meetings and fire drills (Q1 and Q3). If your entire day is Q1 and Q3, you're working hard but not moving forward.
What's the difference between 'Delegate' and 'Eliminate'?
Delegate (Q3) means the task needs to happen, just not by you. Eliminate (Q4) means it shouldn't happen at all. Sorting social media for two hours looks urgent (notifications!) but isn't important — that's Q4, not Q3. If you catch yourself 'delegating' tasks that nobody would miss if they vanished, move them to Eliminate.
Should I use this daily or weekly?
Weekly works best for most people. On Monday morning, dump all tasks and sort. During the week, new urgent items will appear — add them to Q1 and deal with them, but protect your Q2 blocks. Daily use leads to over-sorting and under-doing.
How is this different from a regular to-do list?
A to-do list is flat — everything has equal weight, so you do what's easiest or loudest. The matrix forces a second dimension: importance. A to-do list tells you what to do; the Eisenhower Matrix tells you what to skip.