Whiteboard template

Eisenhower matrix template

Sort everything on your plate into four boxes: do it now, plan it, hand it over or drop it. The priority matrix makes it obvious where your time should go.

Use this template for free All templates
  • Do now, Plan, Hand over and Drop
  • Urgent and important axes
  • Notes you drag between boxes
  • For one person or a whole team
An Eisenhower priority matrix in Starlex with sticky notes in the Do now, Plan, Hand over and Drop boxes

What is the Eisenhower matrix?

The Eisenhower matrix, also called the urgent important matrix or the priority matrix, sorts tasks with two questions: is it urgent, and is it important? It is named after US President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who is credited with the observation that the urgent is rarely important and the important is rarely urgent. Stephen Covey made the four box version widely known.

The four boxes

  • Do now (urgent and important): crises and hard deadlines.
  • Plan (important, not urgent): the work that moves you forward, such as hiring, planning and learning. Put time for it in the calendar.
  • Hand over (urgent, not important): tasks someone else can do, or that need less of your attention.
  • Drop (neither): busywork you can stop doing.

How to use it

  1. Write every task on its own note. Do not sort yet.
  2. Ask of each note: what happens if this waits a week? If something bad happens, it is urgent.
  3. Ask: does this move a goal forward? If yes, it is important.
  4. Drag each note into its box. Be strict with Drop: if you hesitate, it probably belongs there.
  5. Book time for the Plan box first, then do the Do now items, then hand over what you can.

Example

In the example, fixing a login outage and replying to the biggest customer are urgent and important. Hiring a designer and planning next quarter are important, so they get planned. Booking the offsite venue and collecting expense receipts are handed over, and renaming the old wiki and polishing unused settings are dropped.

Tips

  • Most people find their Plan box nearly empty at first. That is the box worth growing.
  • Sort as a team at the start of a busy month to agree on what not to do.
  • Turn the Do now and Plan notes into issues with due dates, so they show up in My Work.

Use this template in Starlex

Open a project, go to Notes, then Whiteboards, choose New whiteboard and pick Priority matrix. To add it to a board you already have, use the board's ⋯ menu.

  • Everyone in the project can work on the board at once, with live cursors and cursor chat.
  • Run a timer for silent writing, and use dot voting to choose.
  • Turn any sticky note into an issue, or bring real issues onto the board as live cards.
  • Export the board as a PNG or SVG image, or embed it in an issue description.

Frequently asked questions

Is a priority matrix the same as the Eisenhower matrix?

Yes. Priority matrix, urgent important matrix and Eisenhower box all name the same four box grid.

Can a team use the Eisenhower matrix?

Yes. Sorting tasks together makes trade offs visible and helps a team agree on what to stop doing.

Is the template free?

Yes. Pick Priority matrix when you create a whiteboard in any Starlex project. Signing up is free.