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<aside> <img src="/icons/token_blue.svg" alt="/icons/token_blue.svg" width="40px" /> As a perfectionist, you probably feel like everything on your to-do list is the most important thing and must be done right now.
Decision frameworks can help you prioritize the things that matter and get rid of the things that don’t — but we actually found that the most popular prioritization strategy, the Eisenhower Matrix, didn’t work for us.
While great in theory, the tool needed an update to become more relevant and actionable for ambitious & overwhelmed people who need help deciding what to do first.
Although we scrapped the original matrix format, we wanted to retain the sentiment for which it was created: we all need help prioritizing the difference between urgent and important things.
To learn more about our process, click here to read the blog or listen to the audio version of this resource here:
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<aside> <img src="/icons/arrows-swap-vertically_blue.svg" alt="/icons/arrows-swap-vertically_blue.svg" width="40px" /> The goal of the flow chart is to give you clarity on what’s important THIS WEEK, not next week or next month.
Run each task on your list through this flow chart, starting at the top:
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<aside> <img src="/icons/key_blue.svg" alt="/icons/key_blue.svg" width="40px" /> ABOUT THE CATEGORIES
| 🚨 PRESSING TASKS | These are the commitments that you’ve already made and items with immediate due dates or consequences if not done. |
|---|---|
| ⭐️ CORE TASKS | These could be work/life must-dos (creating a presentation, renewing your car insurance) things that bring you closer to your goals (writing for 30 minutes, meal-prepping) or things that you always say you want to do but never have time for (reading, physical activity, leisure activities, etc). These don’t need to be done now, they just need to be done. |
| ⏸️ BACK BURNER TASKS | These are the things you may have motivation or interest in doing, but probably aren’t going to happen this week — allow your brain to think of it as Back Burner until it’s immediately relevant to you. These could turn into Core or Pressing tasks at some point, but are on hold until they become a higher priority. |
| 📁 ARCHIVE | This is the the stuff you might want to do one day but isn’t really relevant right now. This is the task junk drawer. |
<aside> <img src="/icons/info-alternate_blue.svg" alt="/icons/info-alternate_blue.svg" width="40px" /> Pressing and Core tasks are where you’ll put most of your energy when working through those lists, and your Back Burner is there when you’re ready for it.
If you’re someone who always feels like everything is the most important thing, the questions along the way when using the flow chart are intended to prompt to you to BFFR (be f*cking for real). When you don’t get real about the priority level, everything will end up feeling like one. This part might feel uncomfortable, but resist the urge to overshoot the importance or urgency of each task.
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<aside> <img src="/icons/report_blue.svg" alt="/icons/report_blue.svg" width="40px" /> How to decide what’s actually IMPORTANT:
<aside> <img src="/icons/clock_blue.svg" alt="/icons/clock_blue.svg" width="40px" /> How to decide what’s actually URGENT:
Once you’ve identified which category all your tasks and ideas belong in, it’s time to put that sh*t on your calendar. Do yourself a favor by only planning for today and this week only — the more realistic you are, the better you’ll feel. It’s counterintuitive, but shrinking your to-do list will make you more productive.
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