Eisenhower Matrix Template for Microsoft Word and Google Docs
Download the Eisenhower Matrix Template
Use this printable Eisenhower Matrix template to help you prioritize tasks based on their importance and urgency. Enter tasks into the matrix in order to decide what needs to be done now, what needs to be scheduled, and what can be delegated or deleted. Once you fill out the matrix, print it out and display it as a quick and easy visual reference for you and your team.
For additional resources to help you use any priority matrix, check out this guide to understanding and using priority matrices.
Eisenhower Matrix Template for Excel and Google Sheets
Download an Eisenhower Matrix Template for
Excel
| Google Sheets
This free, easy-to-use Eisenhower Matrix template is available in two spreadsheet formats and is an excellent framework for strategic decision making. The editable quadrants allow you to customize tasks based on their urgency and importance. Use the quadrant’s key phrases to help you determine where to list each task.
For additional resources, see this comprehensive collection of free priority matrix and project prioritization templates.
Eisenhower Decision Matrix Template for Adobe PDF
Download the Eisenhower Decision Matrix Template for Adobe PDF
Formatted to be editable and printable, this Eisenhower Decision Matrix template will help you customize the prioritization of your workload. Use the sample text as a guide to determine which tasks belong in which quadrant. Most tasks will likely fall in the second quadrant, Schedule it, because they require planning. The fourth quadrant, Delete it, should only contain tasks that are counterproductive and don’t support your goals.
For more help determining the priority and importance of your tasks, check out this individual productivity hub template set.
Eisenhower Matrix Template for PowerPoint and Google Slides
Download the Eisenhower Matrix Template
If you need a task management tool to show your team or other stakeholders how current project tasks are organized, this Eisenhower Matrix template for PowerPoint and Google Slides is the perfect tool. The template provides a presentable visual representation of which tasks to do now, which need to be scheduled, and which need to be delegated or deleted. Share this information with your team to guarantee that they are productive and efficient with their time.
For additional resources about project prioritization, check out this comprehensive guide to project prioritization.
Eisenhower Priority Matrix Template for Microsoft Word and Google Docs
Download the Eisenhower Priority Matrix Template
Use this blank Eisenhower Matrix template for Microsoft Word and Google Docs to customize your daily, weekly, and monthly task lists. This is a great way to show your manager how you prioritize your workload. If you’re a project manager, share this document with stakeholders so that they understand how you categorize project tasks.
What Is an Eisenhower Matrix Template?
An Eisenhower Matrix template is a four-quadrant matrix that sorts tasks by urgency and importance. Project managers and other team members can use this task management tool to determine which tasks to address immediately, schedule, delegate, or delete.
The Eisenhower Matrix was named for former president Dwight D. Eisenhower, who said, “I have two kinds of problems: the urgent and the important. The urgent are not important, and the important are never urgent.” This was the prioritization methodology he used when making high-stakes decisions as a five-star general. Stephen Covey popularized the use of Eisenhower Matrices in his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
If you ever feel like you’re always busy every day but don’t make progress on your projects or goals, this is the perfect tool for you. It’s a proven method used to increase productivity and decrease the stress of an overwhelming workload.
Here is a breakdown of the four quadrants that make up an Eisenhower Matrix:
- Urgent and Important: This quadrant represents your current to-do list. This quadrant is for tasks that need immediate attention. They are often tasks we pushed aside until the last minute or that came from unexpected circumstances. Not addressing these tasks immediately will have a detrimental effect.
- Important and Not Urgent: This quadrant, sometimes called the decide quadrant or the schedule quadrant, should include most of your tasks. These tasks are the ones that need planning so that they don’t eventually end up in the urgent and important quadrant.
- Urgent and Not Important: This quadrant, known as the delegate quadrant, is for tasks that don’t require your specific skills and can be delegated to someone else.
- Not Urgent and Not Important: This quadrant, sometimes called the delete quadrant, includes tasks that don’t contribute to goals and waste time. Ideally, there will be few tasks that end up in this quadrant.
Tips for Using an Eisenhower Matrix Template
It takes only a few minutes at the start of every day to effectively apply an Eisenhower Matrix template. Follow the best practices listed below to organize your matrix. Doing so helps guarantee that you optimize your time.
These are some best practices for using an Eisenhower Matrix template:
- List All of Your Tasks: Break up your workload into tasks, including those that need to be done today and those that you need to address in the coming weeks and months.
- Understand the Difference Between Urgency and Importance: Just because you’re in a time crunch to finish something doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a priority. Prioritize the tasks that give bigger payout. Tasks in the important but not urgent quadrant often have the greatest payout because, though they require more time, they get you closer to your goals.
- Identify Time-Wasters: Time-wasting tasks are those done to avoid the urgent and important tasks, such as sorting through your junk email folder. It might feel like you’re doing a lot, but what you’re doing is not productive. Ask yourself, “Does this help me reach my goals?” If not, it belongs in the delete quadrant. Remember, getting a lot done doesn’t necessarily indicate productivity.
For a complete guide to Eisenhower Matrices, see this helpful post on the Eisenhower Matrix method.
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