Managing Priorities with Decision Matrix

I've tried 100s of time management techniques.  This is by far my favourite: I used to work 80 hrs/week and call it "productive." When really I was: - Attending pointless meetings - Fighting countless small fires - Being involved in every decision Now I work less than 70% the time and get 4x as much done. The Eisenhower Matrix helped me get there.  It teaches you to categorise tasks by importance and urgency. Here's how it works: 1. Do It Now (Urgent + Important) Examples: - Finalise pitch deck before investor meeting tomorrow. - Fix website crash during peak customer traffic. - Respond to press interview request before deadline. Best Practices: - Attack these tasks first each morning with full focus. - Set a strict deadline so urgency fuels execution. 2. Schedule It (Important + Not Urgent) Examples: - Plan quarterly strategy session with leadership team. - Map long-term hiring plan for next 18 months. - Build a personal brand content system for LinkedIn. Best Practices: - Protect time blocks in advance. Never leave them floating. - Tie them to measurable outcomes, not vague intentions. 3. Delegate It (Urgent + Not Important) Examples: - Handle inbound customer service queries this week. - Organise travel logistics for upcoming conference. - Update CRM with latest sales call notes. Best Practices: - Build playbooks so your team executes without confusion. - Delegate with deadlines to avoid wasting time. 4. Eliminate It (Not Urgent + Not Important) Examples: - Tweak logo colour palette again for fun. - Attend generic networking events with no ICP fit. - Review endless “best productivity tools” articles. Best Practices: - Audit weekly. Cut anything that doesn’t compound long-term. - Replace low-value busywork with rest, thinking, or selling. If you are always reacting to what feels urgent,   You'll never focus on what matters. Attend to the tasks in quadrant 1 efficiently,  Then spend 60-70% of your time in quadrant 2.    That's work that actually builds your business. Which quadrant are you spending too much time in right now?  Drop your thoughts in the comments. My newsletter, Step By Step, breaks down more frameworks like this. It's designed to help you build smarter without burning out. 200k+ builders use it to develop better systems. Join them here:  https://lnkd.in/eUTCQTWb ♻️ Repost this to help other founders manage their time.  And follow Chris Donnelly for more on building and running businesses. 

Everything is urgent! Until it cost $100K in missed deliverables That's what my customer kept saying. Every email marked "ASAP" Every request needed "immediate attention" My team was drowning in priorities. Sound familiar? Here's how we turned chaos into clarity: First, we used the Eisenhower Matrix: → True urgency: System outages → Important but planned: Feature releases → Delegate: Minor updates → Eliminate: Nice-to-haves The key? We did this WITH the customer. They helped categorize each request. Their buy-in made all the difference. Without it, this would have been just another failed process. The result? ✔️ Less team overwhelm ✔️ Clearer project milestones ✔️ Happy customer (they got what mattered) But here's the full toolkit smart leaders use to prioritize: 1. Eisenhower Matrix → Urgent vs important. Know where to focus → Spend less on fires, more on impact 2. Pareto Principle (80/20) → The vital few drive most results → Focus on the 20% that matters 3. Warren Buffett's 5/25 → Choose 5 goals, ignore the other 20 → Cut distractions to stay locked on priorities 4. RICE Method → Score by reach, impact, confidence, effort → Rank smart to get maximum return 5. MoSCoW Method → Must, Should, Could, Won't → Define essentials, defer the rest 6. ABCDE Method → Label tasks A–E, focus on A’s. → Do must-do’s first, delete E’s. But what about daily operations? Here's how I use these methods to spend more time with clients: 7. Time Blocking: 2 hours of deep client work daily → No meetings, no interruptions → Pure focus on their needs 8. Eat That Frog: Tackle client deliverables first → Before inbox & admin work → Fresh mind = best solutions 9. Batching: Group operational tasks → One focused admin block daily → Everything else? Delegated or automated Result? ✔️ 3x more client face time ✔️ Operations run smoothly in background ✔️ Finally got that work-life blend right 💡 Which method resonates most with you? Share below - let's learn from each other's experiences. ✨ Want more leadership tools like these? Subscribe to my Career Freedom Weekly Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/eciagfQn ♻️ Repost to help another leader find clarity 👋 Follow Stephanie Hills, Ph.D. for leadership insights that bridge life and work

I've managed 5 high-performing product marketing teams at startups and public companies, and there are 2 commonalities I've noticed at each: 1) it's easy for PMMs to get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of tasks on their plates, and 2) teams are rarely recognized for their true effort or impact by upper management. That's why I want to share my prioritization matrix 👇 It’s been a game-changer in how my teams approach projects and focus on what truly drives results. I’m curious—does this framework resonate with your approach to prioritizing tasks? Here's the concept: Rack up the wins by focusing on projects that offer high visibility and impact for lower effort and avoid those that drain your energy and don’t align with company goals. (Note: you could replace visibility with impact on this scale, but it's important that what you're working on is actually on the radar of those in upper management). Here’s how to prioritize: Quick Wins: These are the golden opportunities! High visibility, low difficulty — they bring great returns with minimal effort. Look for ways to get a few of these in your quarter. Strategic Initiatives: Aim for ONE strategic initiative per quarter. These are high-visibility, high-difficulty tasks that are aligned with your long-term goals. Go deep, plan ahead, and focus on the impact. You will be the most proud of these, but you need to be realistic about them. Routine Tasks: You’ve got to keep up with these, but don't let them consume too much of your time. Find a system to manage them efficiently. Avoid: Stay clear of high-difficulty, low-visibility tasks. These projects often don't yield the results you need, and they’re energy-draining. They don't align with your values or long-term success. 💡 Action Step: Review your current or upcoming projects. Classify them into high or low reward, and high or low effort. What projects are you spending too much time on that aren’t worth the effort? Time to realign and focus on what truly matters! #Productivity #TimeManagement #Prioritization #WorkSmart #StrategicFocus #CareerGrowth #Leadership How do you manage your / your team’s workload?

Most product marketers are drowning in tasks while being asked to be "more strategic." It's a familiar story. You start the week with clear priorities, and then the requests start flowing in: ➖ Sales needs updated battle cards ➖ Product wants help with release notes ➖ Leadership requires a last-minute presentation It's why time management is such an important part of the job. After years of struggling with this, I've found one framework that helps manage the chaos: RICE Scoring. RICE helps you evaluate every request that lands on your desk: 1️⃣ Reach: Total number of users impacted 2️⃣ Impact: Potential effect on key metrics 3️⃣ Confidence: Probability of success 4️⃣ Effort: Required resources RICE Score = (Reach x Impact x Confidence) / Effort By comparing the scores of different tasks, you can prioritize those with the highest scores, which are expected to have the greatest impact with the least effort. But frameworks alone aren't enough. You have to get comfortable saying no to low-impact requests. My non-negotiable rules: ✅If it doesn't align with company objectives, pass ✅Every yes means an automatic no to something else ✅Always quantify impact before committing resources For day-to-day decisions, I pair RICE with the Eisenhower Matrix: ➖ Urgent + Important = Do now ➖ Important, not urgent = Schedule ➖ Urgent, not important = Delegate ➖ Neither = Drop Product marketers often spend too much time on tasks that drive minimal results. We say yes to urgent requests that feel important in the moment but don't drive results. For a challenge: Look at everything on your plate. Run it through RICE. Cut the bottom 30%. It won't cure everything, but it's a good start to focus more on the work that matters.

Let’s Talk About Time. People have ask me in the past how I manage to get so much done. It’s simply a method. I built a surgical time management system years ago that's essentially a hybrid of three "proven frameworks"; it's customized to match me. When I follow it, the output speaks for itself. People assume I’m a machine. Lately, I’ve been loose with it. Not off-track, but not dialed in like I should be. That’s changing now. Especially since I will be starting a Masters of Engineering in the spring. I call it "The Method to my Madness" The Eisenhower → Mind Map → Time Block Method: Achieve High Quality Volume Output, Stay Sharp, and Get More Done If you want high-quality output at a high volume, you need more than motivation. You need discipline and a bonafide system. This one works; it's not for staying busy. It's for execution and precision: 1. Start with the Eisenhower Matrix Often viewed as a productivity hack, it's more of a filter that separates movement from progress. Urgent & Important → Do it now. Important but Not Urgent → Schedule it. Urgent but Not Important → Delegate it. Neither → Delete it. Delete a lot. As much as possible. Majority of people stay stuck in reaction mode because they never clarify what actually deserves their time in a prioritized manner. 2. Turn Priorities those into a Mind Map. Brainstorm. Think about requirements and deliverables. Once you know what matters, you build your mind map. This is how you visualize your goals, responsibilities, and projects, as well as identify connections between different pieces and outcomes. Architect a snapshot of your entire battlefield.. This map is your battle strategy. Every node should be a calculated move. Every connection is a dependency. Now, you’re never guessing because you have a clear vision and path. 3. Convert the Map into EXCEL Time Blocks Here it get's surgical. Start with hour blocks but get used to honoring a schedule. Tighten it to 30-minute blocks once you’re zoned in. Eventually move to 15-minute or even 5-minute blocks when you need total control. Use 45-minute blocks to leave time for review, margin, or re-alignment Don't go cramming your calendar. You need to be constructing clarity. Every minute needs to have has a purpose, resulting in every block equaling an output. Why It Works? Well, I lived it, for 4 years. But it works because: You stop reacting and start executing. You make fewer, better decisions. You get more done in less time. You create time instead of losing it to friction. If you want to achieve a lot, don’t leave your output to chance. You need to engineer a laser focused lens, structure your days, and block YOUR time like it’s a currency. If your work matters, your time should too. Start with the matrix. Build the map. Block the time. And watch your execution go from good to elite. Always take time to REFLECT. Everyday, reflect.

Get more done in less time - Master the Eisenhower Matrix: Too often we mistake being busy with being productive. The reality? We spend far too much time on the wrong things. Use this time management tool to prioritize your tasks properly, And dramatically increase your productivity. Its simplicity drives its effectiveness - Categorize all of your tasks into 1 of 4 quadrants based on their urgency and importance, And then take action accordingly. This sheet breaks down the details, So you can put it to work: 1) Do Now (Urgent and important) Description: ↳Tasks that require immediate attention and are crucial for your goals ↳Often tied to deadlines, crises, or high-pressure situations Examples: ↳Completing a critical project that's due by end of day ↳Fixing a website crash that's preventing customers from making purchases ↳Preparing for a last-minute client presentation scheduled for tomorrow How to Get Them Done: ↳Prioritize them over everything else ↳Avoid multitasking - focus only on them ↳Use a timer or set specific time blocks to ensure completion 2) Plan for Later (Not urgent but important) Description: ↳Tasks that are important for long-term success but don't need immediate attention ↳Often involve personal growth, strategy, and big-picture goals Examples: ↳Researching and implementing automation tools to improve workflow ↳Meeting with a mentor to discuss career growth ↳Creating a content calendar for next quarter How to Get Them Done: ↳Schedule these tasks into your calendar and stick to working on them ↳Break them down into smaller, actionable steps so they feel less overwhelming 3) Delegate Now (Urgent but not important) Description: ↳Tasks that may feel urgent but aren't critical to achieving your goals ↳Often stem from others' priorities and don't require your unique skills Examples: ↳Replying to most customer service inquiries ↳Reviewing routine reports that don't require your direct input ↳Scheduling travel arrangements for an upcoming conference How to Get Them Done: ↳Delegate these tasks to someone else immediately ↳Provide clear instructions and all necessary resources ↳Give autonomy and only follow-up when asked or necessary 4) Eliminate Now (Not urgent and not important) Description: ↳Tasks that offer little value and don't contribute to long-term goals ↳They are distractions or time-wasters that can be removed Examples: ↳Checking social media notifications often with no clear purpose ↳Attending meetings that don't require your presence or input ↳Over-customizing a PowerPoint for a basic internal presentation How to (NOT!) Get Them Done: ↳Recognize where you're wasting time on trivial things ↳Eliminate these tasks from your routine ↳Set boundaries to avoid falling into time-wasting habits Use the Eisenhower Matrix to prioritize like a pro, And turbocharge your productivity. Have you tried it before? --- ♻️ Repost to help your network become more efficient. And follow me George Stern for more.

🚨 Feeling overwhelmed? Here's the antidote. When your plate is overflowing, prioritization isn’t a choice—it’s survival. Steve Jobs and Elon Musk didn’t become game-changers by doing everything. They became legends by focusing on the right things. Here are 7 ways they set priorities to achieve the impossible: 1. Use the Eisenhower Matrix Divide tasks into four buckets: Urgent & Important: Do now. Important but Not Urgent: Schedule it. Urgent but Not Important: Delegate it. Neither: Eliminate it. Jobs used this to trim Apple’s product line from 70+ to just 4. The result? World-changing focus. 2. Apply the 80/20 Rule Focus on the 20% of tasks that deliver 80% of results. Elon Musk prioritized Tesla’s battery technology because it determined cost, range, and competitive edge. Ask yourself: What’s the ONE thing I can do that changes everything? 3. Rank by Consequences Identify tasks where inaction has the most significant consequences. Musk bet SpaceX’s future on reusable rockets because failure meant financial ruin. Avoid mistaking loud tasks for critical ones. 4. Use the ABCDE Method Categorize tasks: A: Must do (serious consequences). B: Should do (mild consequences). C: Nice to do (no consequences). D: Delegate. E: Eliminate. Jobs said, “Focus on your A’s and forget the rest.” 5. Time Blocking Dedicate chunks of your day to critical work. Musk splits his day into 5-minute increments to stay hyper-focused. Guard your time like it’s gold. 6. Ask the Right Questions Does this task align with my mission? Can someone else do this better or faster? What’s the real problem I’m solving? Jobs redefined industries by relentlessly asking: “Is this the best product we can make?” 7. Simplify and Say No Ruthlessly cut distractions. Jobs: “Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things.” Musk turned down unrelated ventures to focus Tesla on vehicles, energy, and AI. Remember: Saying no to one thing means saying yes to what matters. 💡 Key Takeaway: Overwhelm is often a result of unclear priorities. The next time your plate is too full, channel your inner Jobs or Musk: eliminate distractions, focus on impact, and take charge of your time. 👉 Which of these strategies will you use today? Share your thoughts below! 🔗 Follow Dr. Kevin Ham for more actionable insights on entrepreneurial leadership and personal growth.

90% of people fail at prioritizing what matters. Not all tasks are created equal. Some move the needle, and others just keep you busy. If you’re constantly overwhelmed, it’s time to prioritize like a pro. Here are three decision-making frameworks that leaders use to stay focused, productive, and stress-free: 1. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐱: 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐨 Not everything urgent is important. And not everything important is urgent. Use this simple 4-box system to make quick decisions: → Urgent & Important → Do it now → Important, Not Urgent → Schedule it → Urgent, Not Important → Delegate it → Neither Urgent nor Important → Delete it Example: ✓ Preparing for a big client pitch? Do it ✓ Long-term strategy planning? Schedule it ✓ Replying to low-priority emails? Delegate it ✓ Attending a meeting that could’ve been an email? Delete it 2. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 80/20 𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞: 𝐅𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐥𝐞 Did you know that 80% of your results come from just 20% of your efforts? → Find your 20% → Double down on it → Say no to everything else Example: ✓ If 20% of your clients generate 80% of your revenue, focus on them ✓ If 20% of your daily tasks bring the biggest impact, do those first ✓ Anything outside that 20%? Probably not worth your time 3. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐘𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐍𝐨 𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞 - 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐆𝐮𝐭 Ever said yes to something you regretted later? Here’s a simple rule: If it’s not a HELL YES, it’s a NO. → If you feel excited and instantly say, “YES, I’m in!”—go for it. → If you hesitate, feel unsure, or try to justify it—it’s a no. Example: ✓ A high-impact project that aligns with your goals? Hell yes. ✓ An invitation to a random networking event with no clear benefit? Nope. Not every “no” has to be harsh. Here’s how to decline gracefully: ✔️ “I’d love to help, but I’m fully booked right now.” ✔️ “This isn’t the right fit, but I appreciate the opportunity.” ✔️ “I can’t take this on, but I know someone who might help.” Great leaders don’t chase every opportunity—they protect their focus. Agree? What’s something you wish you had said NO to sooner in business? — ♻️ Share it with your network. ➕ Follow Donny Mashiach for more insights on scaling and financial growth.

Time management isn’t just about doing more—it’s about doing what matters most.   In a recent coaching session, my client was feeling stretched thin and stuck at the same time—urgent tasks were constantly pulling her away from what she really wanted to focus on.   To help her gain clarity, I introduced the Eisenhower Matrix.   This simple but powerful tool helps distinguish between what’s urgent and what’s important: 🟩 Important & Urgent: Do it now 🟨 Important but Not Urgent: Schedule it 🟥 Not Important but Urgent: Delegate it ⬜ Not Important & Not Urgent: Let it go   Once we mapped her to-do list into this framework, her priorities came into focus—and so did her peace of mind. She realized she was spending too much time reacting to the urgent while neglecting the important. Sound familiar?   The Eisenhower Matrix doesn’t give you more hours in the day—but it can help you use them more intentionally.   How do you decide what’s worth your time?   #leadership #timemanagement #coaching #productivity #prioritization #eisenhowermatrix

Big picture to daily focus: A smarter way to prioritize. Prioritization can feel overwhelming—especially when you're juggling market strategies, portfolios, projects, and daily tasks. But what if there was a simple, clear method to align it all? Here’s the approach I use: 1️⃣ 𝗭𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗢𝘂𝘁: Start with the market view. Use tools like the 𝗕𝗖𝗚 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘅 to evaluate opportunities and prioritize at the strategic level. 2️⃣ 𝗭𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗜𝗻: Shift to the project view. The 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘌𝘹𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘹 bridges strategy to execution by helping you focus on tasks with the highest impact. 3️⃣ 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆: Finally, organize your personal time with the 𝗘𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘅 to ensure you work smart and avoid unnecessary distractions. To make it even easier, I’ve redesigned the matrices to follow a consistent high/low format. This alignment helps you read, understand, and act faster. Prioritization doesn’t have to be complicated. By zooming out, then zooming in, you can turn strategy into seamless execution. Note that I've used my 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘅 at Microsoft to prioritize efforts as big as multi-million dollar ventures down to much smaller efforts.  By simply checking the impact on a scale of 1 to 10, and ability to execute on a scale of 1 to 10, as a team or individually, all will get revealed. What’s your go-to method for prioritizing? Let’s share tips below! #leadership #productivity