If you’ve never heard of the Eisenhower Matrix, allow us to change your life. The Eisenhower Matrix, based on a method employed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, is a simple productivity tool for organizing and prioritizing tasks, and making distinctions between tasks that are “urgent” and “important.” Using this method helped Eisenhower achieve many things, including ending the Korean War, and beginning construction on the Interstate Highway System, among other amazing achievements. So how can the Eisenhower Matrix help you declutter your to-do list and help grow your business?
Urgent Vs. Important
The Eisenhower Matrix can help you go beyond being merely busy, efficient, or even productive, and make you more effective in your work life. To get started with this method, you will need to categorize your to-do list by figuring out what is “urgent” and what is “important.” What’s the difference?
Urgent tasks are those that require immediate action; there will probably be consequences if they are not completed on time. Think of anything you’d consider “putting out fires.”
Important tasks are things that contribute to long-term goals and require thoughtful planning and action.
Next, organize your list by separating tasks into four cross-sectioned categories:
Important-Urgent – Things that require immediate action and contribute to long-term goals and values
Not Important-Urgent – Tasks that need to be done quickly, but do not contribute to long-term goals
Important-Not Urgent- Things that require more thought and focus, but do not need to be done immediately
Not Important-Not Urgent – Unnecessary tasks that in many cases you can delegate or take off your list completely
How It Works
In order to categorize how much each task matters to you and your business, and how time-sensitive it is, you should create your own matrix. Draw a square and divide it into four quadrants; each box has a different way of dealing with the items you’ve placed into it. Label your boxes in the following ways:
Do – In this quadrant, put your urgent/important tasks, things that need to be done immediately, before even thinking about anything else.
Decide – This quadrant will have your not urgent/important tasks, which means they need to be done, but you can schedule them for a later date.
Delegate – Here you will place your urgent/unimportant tasks, or tasks that are important to other people and need to get done, but are not as important to you. You can delegate these tasks to someone who is better equipped to deal with them.
Delete – These are your not urgent/unimportant tasks or the ones that you should take off of your list, since they neither further your goals nor make you more productive.
Breaking down your tasks in this way can help to clear the clutter, and achieve more balance and focus in your business life. That means the Eisenhower Matrix is the perfect method for an insurance agent: it will help you decide what is important to move your business forward, whether that is creating content, building a referral rewards system, or improving your customer service. You decide which tasks go into the boxes of your matrix, and what will help you get closer to your goal of gaining more leads and customers.
If you are looking to grow your business, Benepath can help! We offer exclusive leads who are ready to buy, all you have to do is tell us when you are available to work with them. Benepath will provide you with better tools, more guidance, unsurpassed sales training, and techniques from the most successful agents and trainers in the industry, not to mention the best leads available. To get more information, fill out the form above, or call 866-368-0377.
