Do you feel that you run out of time? Do you feel you are procrastinating? If so, you are not alone. However, sinking in that feeling leads to anxiety and stress. Don’t you feel so? If you are reading this now, I am guessing that you have different ways to manage your time, you have created different To Do Lists which, I would say the majority failed to be achieved. creating a priority matrix is a must to avoid stress and reach your goals.
Before I go further, I do tell my clients during coaching sessions that willingness and commitment to change is the magic key for any solution, hence I want you to have the willingness and commitment!
Having a heavy weighted and endless To Do List, create the burden feeling that lead to anxiety and end up feeling stressed and tend to leave it behind or in-another word, procrastinating, the easy fix is to set your priority matrix to chop your to-dos!
At Modelawer coaching programs we offer different tools for our clients, one of them is the chopping is a tool to help them and will help you in problem solving and deal with obstacles to ensure creating and effective To Do List after defining what is important for your and set the priority matrix table.
What is priority matrix?
A priority matrix is a strong time management tool, priority matrix helps you concentrate on what is important without forgetting what is critical. Priority matrix has four sections developed by Stephen covey. He divided the priority matrix into two dimensions: urgency and important, impact and critical.
The formula is simple: set your set your goals, define your priority matrix, chop what is not important, not critical, be committed and your get what you want!
What is To-do chopping?
To Do List simply it is a mechanism to achieve your goal. Grocery, wedding, birthday party, meeting, a project in the pipeline, lose weight, setting up your own business and lot more, at end of the day it is a goal, any goal should be a SMART goal otherwise the possibility of not reaching it is high. To do list is one of the mechanisms that help you to stay on track, however, when the To Do List seem to never end, it becomes a must to get clarity into where and how you should be spending your time which only happens when you create your priority matrix. The issue is not the goal or its To Do List, the issue is what around that!
The starting point will be the chopping tool, where you chop down your To Do List, and will tell you how?
How does it work?
Step 1: Write down the goal ultimate result or result you want to achieve.
I have covered in the previous post how to set to a SMART goal (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely), that will help you and achieving your goal, however in this tool, you write down the ultimate result you looking for and discover your priority matrix.
Example: Get the project done by the end of the month!
5 things you need to follow to achieve your goals
Step 2: Write down what’s on your plate right now in the To Do List.
Take your time in this step where is the important in the process of defining your priority matrix, write down everything you have and currently busy with, write do everything that may or may not affect your goal. This step is very essential
Example: I must fly to Saudi Arabia next week, I have a meeting in Abu Dhabi tomorrow, invited for launch in Dubai, two other projects in the pipeline, family commitment and so on and so forth.
Step 3: write down the distractions.
priority matrix ultimate goal is to let go what is not important and not critical, distractions is the most time consuming and real-time wasters. List down all distractions that affect your To Do List directly and indirectly.
Example: Engaged in lots of meetings during the day.
Step 4: priority matrix table
Draw a box and divide it into 4 categories as follow:
- Critical and Important
- Important and Not Critical
- Critical and Not Important
- Not Important and Not critical
Step 5: Classify and write-down each point listed in Step 2 and 3 into one of the four categories
Congratulation! you’ve created your priority matrix
Now lets understand your priority matrix
- Critical and Important Must to do and need your attention in your To Do List where it shall affect directly on your target. This category is highly linked with time, usually involve a tight deadline, important meeting, urgent family matter, etc. Tip: You should consider this category while you plan your goals milestone and To-do list, time will be an important factor here.
- Important Not Critical This category is most likely in your To Do List will be things that fulfill you, give you a sense of achievement, and joy. It may include family and friends gathering, a book to read, gym time, research, preparing for a meeting, etc. Don’t ignore them where they are still important to you and not achieving them will lead to stress! Tip: there is a possibility to delegate those tasks and issues, don’t fear delegations it relives you to focus on what is important
- Critical, Not Important Things in the To Do List that are urgent and time factor are essential but not importantly done by you, such as urgent meeting but not important to be attended by you or critical reports by not a must to be done by you from scratch. Tip: Delegate, Delegate, and delegate! And create a dialogue with stakeholders make them understand that it is OK not to be done by you directly.They are low-value interruptions and usually something that can easily be done by someone else especially if we take the time to train them.
- Not Important and Not critical Congratulation! You identify what is not directly important or critical to you. Most likely these are the distractions and time wasters which hold you back from achieving your goals. Such as endless social media scroll down, Junk-Emails, meaningless phone-calls or meetings. Tip: It is time to let go!
Finally, SMART goals, chopping To-Do list and priority matrix table are tools that helps you achieve what you want but it won’t guarantee that! You should hold your self-committed and accountable for your life goals. I would be happy to be your accountability partner, books a free session for life coaching in Dubai, career coaching in Dubai and executive coaching in Dubai and let’s start a great journey today!
