Also known as: urgent-important matrix, Eisenhower box, priority matrix
Eisenhower Matrix
FoundationalFrameworksOperations
Definition
Eisenhower Matrix: The Eisenhower Matrix categorizes tasks by urgency and importance into four quadrants: do first (urgent + important), schedule (important, not urgent), delegate (urgent, not important), and eliminate (neither). It helps prioritize by distinguishing truly important work from merely urgent distractions.
Example Usage
“Using the Eisenhower Matrix, I realized I spent 60% of time on 'urgent but not important' tasks. Delegating freed time for strategic work.”
Common Misconceptions
Everything urgent is important. Many urgent items are other people's priorities, not yours.
Just do urgent things first. Quadrant 2 (important, not urgent) drives long-term success; protect time for it.
Eliminate means ignore. Elimination might mean declining, automating, or batch-processing—not just ignoring.
Explore More Resources
Browse Tools
Discover 100+ vetted tools for every stage of your startup journey
Explore all toolsBuild Your Stack
Take our personalized quiz to get tool recommendations for your startup
Start the checklistRecommended Reading
Curated books to help you learn, grow, and succeed as a founder
View book recommendationsListen & Learn
Top podcasts covering startups, product, growth, and entrepreneurship
Discover podcastsHelp us improve this definition
See something that could be clearer or more accurate? Let us know.