URGENT VERSUS IMPORTANT
Management Models
>> INTRODUCTION >> THE MODEL
The urgent versus important matrix is a tool for prioritising tasks and activities by It is vital to plan time slots in advance for tasks which are important but not urgent. This
categorising them by level of importance and degree of urgency. will ensure you will have time to give them the attention they deserve and to complete
successfully.
Important tasks are those which contribute to your long term goals and objectives. If
you are not clear about what your aims are, it will be difficult to prioritise tasks and plan If you judge that tasks are urgent but not important requests from others, interruptions
to complete them, so this should be your starting point. and distractions, for example - you should assess them carefully and try to avoid them if
Tasks which are urgent and important might include: emergencies, customer you can. You may be able to delegate them or to explain sensitively why you are unable to
complaints, meetings and appointments or reports that need to be delivered within complete them.
a specific time frame. These must to be carried out straight away or delegated to
someone else if appropriate. Tasks which are neither important nor urgent may be time wasters which you should try
to exclude whenever possible. Cross them off your task list or keep them on a holding list
until time becomes available for them or it becomes clear that they are no longer relevant
or necessary.
>> HOW CAN THIS HELP ME?
It is all too easy to allow urgent tasks, especially unimportant ones, to crowd out activities Important Not important DO NOW DELEGATE
which are vital to the achievement of personal or organisational goals. If important tasks and urgent and urgent OR REJECT
are left until they become urgent, it becomes necessary to complete them in a rush
to meet deadlines and you may not be able to give them the consideration they really
need. This is likely to result in poor results and cause unnecessary stress and anxiety.
Prioritising and planning tasks in advance can help you to manage your time more
effectively and achieve your goals more easily.
Important and Not important PLAN TO DO DISCARD
>> ADDITIONAL RESOURCES not urgent and not urgent
Managing your time effectively (CMI Management Checklist 016)
Time management instant manager, Polly Bird,
London: Hodder Education, 2008
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