3. Purpose
1. Record all of the activities done in a two day period.
2. Classify the activities according to which quadrant
they belong in in the Time Management Matrix.
3. Analyzes how the activities were handled and compare
the manner and order in which they were
accomplished as compared to the ideal way they
should have been accomplished according to Covey’s
Principle-Based Time Management Matrix for effective
use of time.
4. Time Management
The act or process of planning and exercising
conscious control over the amount of time
spent on specific activities.
To increase effectiveness, efficiency, or
productivity.
Ability to plan and control how you spend the
hours in your day to effectively accomplish
your goals.
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. –
Aristotle
5. “Important” and “Urgent” Activities
Important activities have an outcome that leads
to the achievement of your goals, whether these are
professional or personal.
Urgent activities demand immediate attention, and
are often associated with the achievement of someone
else's goals.
8. Time Management Matrix
Urgent
Not Urgent
I
II
Activites:
Activities:
Crises
Pressing Problems
Deadline Driven Project
Prevention, PC Activities
Relationship Building
Recognizing New Opportunities
Planning Recreation Activities
III
IV
Activities:
Activities:
Interruptions, some calls
Some email, some reports
Some Meetings
Proximate, pressing matters
Popular Activities
Time wasters
Trivia, busy work
Some mail, some phone calls
“Pleasant” activities
9. Most of the activities done on Day one lie in Quadrant two.
Planning, innovating and developmental opportunities: matters of
extremely high importance, but not urgent.
10. Day two most of my activities lie in Quadrant One; crises and
deadline-driven projects. Also activities in Quadrant Four increased
from 0% to 15%; doing routine busy work in order to avoid more
important matters
11. The average of Day one and Day Two show how effectively I used my
time in both days. Almost half of my time was spent in Quadrant II
which ideally, is where my time should be spent.
12. Ideally, my Day One and Day Two average should look like this.
Completing any activities in Quadrant I first, spend most of my time in
Quadrant II, minimize the time spent in Quadrant III, because those
activites are "unimportant”, and Quadrant IV activities should be avoided.
13. Conclusion:
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
Weaknesses
• Use a calendar so I know when • Easily distracted by peers and
all assignments are due and
technology.
when to start working on
them.
• Can isolate myself from
distractions when
studying/working on
important projects.
• If I don't start an assignment
the day its assigned lesser
chance I will finish it.
Sources: "The Urgent/Important Matrix - Time Management Skills from MindTools.com." Mind Tools - Management
Training, Leadership Training and Career Training. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2013.
<http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_91.htm>.
