that activity, whatever it is. When you begin to incorporate
this one suggestion into your time management skills and
your day, you will become one of the most efficient time
managers of your generation.
The Important vs. the Urgent
In terms of your tasks and activities, setting priorities is
largely about separating the “vital few” from the “trivial
many.” There are four different types of tasks that you are
faced with every day. Your ability to sort out these tasks into
their proper categories can significantly increase your pro-
ductivity. Each of these tasks can be put into a different box
or quadrant.
QUADRANT 1: URGENT AND IMPORTANT
An importanttask is something that has long-term conse-
quences for your career. An urgenttask is something that can-
not be delayed or put off. A task that is both urgent and
important is something that is “in your face.” It is largely deter-
mined by external demands on your time, by tasks and respon-
sibilities that you must start and complete in order to keep on
top of your job. There are people you have to see, things that
you have to do, and places that you have to go. There are cus-
tomers to visit, tasks to complete, and activities that others
are expecting you to accomplish. Most people spend most of
their working day on tasks that are both vital and urgent.
Your most important tasks, your highest priorities, are
both urgent and important. This is called the “quadrant
of immediacy.”
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