tool or extrinsic factor. It is intrinsic -- in the Quadrant II paradigm that empowers you to see through
the lens of importance rather than urgency.
I have included in the Appendix an exercise called "A Quadrant II Day at the Office" which will
enable you to see in a business setting how powerfully this paradigm can impact your effectiveness.
As you work to develop a Quadrant II paradigm, you will increase your ability to organize and
execute every week of your life around your deepest priorities, to walk your talk. You will not be
dependent on any other person or thing for the effective management of your life.
Interestingly, every one of the Seven Habits is in Quadrant II. Every one deals with fundamentally
important things that, if done on a regular basis, would make a tremendous positive difference in our
lives.
Application Suggestions:
- Identify a Quadrant II activity you know has been neglected in your life -- one that, if done well,
would have a significant impact in your life, either personally or professionally. Write it down and
commit to implement it. - Draw a Time Management Matrix and try to estimate what percentage of your time you spend
in each quadrant. Then log your time for three days in 15-minute intervals. How accurate was your
estimate? Are you satisfied with the way you spend your time? What do you need to change. - Make a list of responsibilities you could delegate and the people you could delegate to or train
to be responsible in these areas. Determine what is needed to start the process of delegation or
training. - Organize your next week. Start by writing down your roles and goals for the week, then
transfer the goals to a specific action plan. At the end of the week, evaluate how well your plan
translated your deep values and purposes into your daily life and the degree of integrity you were able
to maintain to those values and purposes. - Commit yourself to start organizing on a weekly basis and set up a regular time to do it.
- Either convert your current planning tool into a fourth generation tool or secure such a tool.
- Go through "A Quadrant II Day at the Office" (Appendix B) for a more in-depth understanding
of the impact of a Quadrant II paradigm.