What is Priority Matrix?

The Eisenhower Matrix helps you prioritize by sorting tasks into four quadrants: Do First (urgent + important), Schedule (important, not urgent), Delegate (urgent, not important), and Eliminate (neither). Drag tasks between quadrants as priorities shift, and export your organized plan.

The matrix splits tasks across two axes: urgency on the horizontal and importance on the vertical, producing four quadrants. The framework comes from a 1954 speech by Dwight Eisenhower, who attributed the idea to a former university president: "What is important is seldom urgent and what is urgent is seldom important." Drag-and-drop works on desktop and touch, and the PNG export captures the whole board in a shareable snapshot for Slack or a standup.

How to use

1. Add tasks by typing and pressing Enter. Each task starts in the inbox — drag it to the appropriate quadrant.
2. Drag tasks between the four quadrants (Do First, Schedule, Delegate, Eliminate) as priorities change.
3. Export your matrix as an image or text list grouped by quadrant for sharing with your team.

When to use

• Monday-morning planning to set the week's priorities across competing demands.
• Triaging an overflowing inbox or feature-request backlog before a standup.
• Helping a direct report decide what to delegate versus tackle themselves.

Result

Monday planning: 'Fix production bug' → Do First, 'Write Q2 strategy doc' → Schedule, 'Reply to vendor email' → Delegate, 'Reorganize bookmarks' → Eliminate.

FAQ

What is the real difference between urgent and important?

Urgent tasks demand immediate attention: a customer-down ticket, a deadline today. Important tasks contribute to long-term goals: a strategy doc, learning a new skill. The trap is letting urgent-but-unimportant work crowd out important-but-not-urgent work that actually moves you forward.

Should every task fit into one of the four quadrants?

Almost always yes. If a task is neither urgent nor important, it belongs in Eliminate or off the list entirely. If everything looks urgent and important, you have too many competing top priorities and need to step back and rank them again with fresh eyes.

What goes in Delegate when I work alone and have no one to delegate to?

Use it for batch-or-automate tasks: things that feel urgent but aren't important to you personally. Common examples include email replies (handle in one window per day), expense reports, and admin paperwork. The point is to spend less deep-focus time on them.

How is this different from a regular to-do list?

A to-do list shows what's left; the matrix shows what to do first. The forcing function of placing each task on the urgency-importance grid surfaces the gap between busywork and high-leverage work, which a flat list hides.

Does the PNG export include uncategorised tasks?

No. The export captures only the four-quadrant grid exactly as it appears, including every task currently placed. Tasks still in the inbox waiting to be sorted aren't drawn into the image, so make sure to triage everything before exporting.

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