Eisenhower Matrix

EISENHOWER MATRIX

To plan to innovate, you must innovate your plan

WHAT IS THE EISENHOWER MATRIX?

"Unfortunately, no one can be told what the [Eisenhower] Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself." ~ Morpheus (Paraphrased)

JUST KIDDING

The Eisenhower Matrix is a way to take everything that we are being asked to innovate on, and prioitize to make it all happen. This way when leadership tells us to reinvigorate the entire story of Vista, all of its brands, and etch its place atop the upper-echelons of aviation, we can actually have the capacity to do so.

NOT URGENT/NOT IMPORTANT

URGENT/NOT IMPORTANT

Little things that won't make a bottom-line difference but might make you happy, such as relationship-building with clients or planning team dinner, etc.

NOT URGENT/IMPORTANT

Upcoming tasks that need to happen but you've given yourself time to plan for yourself and with others. This is where you want to live.

Tasks to delegate, schedule at own convenience, and do these things a kind of "favor." Looks good! Ask manager about "important" but revenue might be key factor.

4 QUADRANT PRIORITZING/PLANNING METHOD

URGENT/IMPORTANT

Last-minute tasks requested by others or due to constraints like capacity, time, team size, etc. Stressful. This is where you probably live now.

OBSERVATIONS

A lot of this you probably pushed off to the last minute for a variety of reasons (too many planning docs, too many reports, too many requests at the last minute). I know I have.

EXAMPLE QUADRANTS

URGENT/IMPORTANT

• This week's email copy for VistaJet
• Urgent design request for Andrew
• Last-minute report for execs
• Revenue deck for sales
• A landing page for a Wednesday campaign

OBSERVATIONS

I don't know how partnerships work. Otherwise, this is the quadrant where you are doing your core work, whatever dept. you're in, but being able to prepare will better free you up to be able to take on Quad 4 tasks (and 1 or 3 if you neeeeeed to).

EXAMPLE QUADRANTS

NOT URGENT/IMPORTANT

• Write 5 Q1 comms
• Develop pitch deck for team offsite
• Write detailed brief for multichannel Spring '25 campaign
• New partner outreach (call 50 or secure 2)

OBSERVATIONS

It's up to you to determine what makes these "unimportant" -- one good barometer is if it generates revenue or not. Either way, you can delegate these tasks so that you can focus on quads 2, 1, and 4. Sometimes it's good to do these yourself if you have the capacity as a way to do a "favor" and build a relationship.

EXAMPLE QUADRANTS

URGENT/UNIMPORTANT

• Client Services-requested comm
• Brokers email request for this week
• New article
• Partners request an email inclusion
• Sales requested collateral

OBSERVATIONS

Remember: "Unimportant" does not mean "unimportant" -- these tasks are obviously valuable. Free up your schedule, become a Quadrant 2 person, and you can also be a Quadrant 4 person when you need a break and are itching for growth. It feels good!

EXAMPLE QUADRANTS

NOT URGENT/UNIMPORTANT

• Take a copywriting course
• Shadow a ground quality ambassador
• Book travel to Columbus to visit team
• Pitch deck for tasks unrelated to your immediate job
• Presentation on Eisenhower Matrix

IDEAL STRUCTURE

SPOILER ALERT

IT'S ALL IMPORTANT

This is not a framework to tell you that these "unimportant" things don't matter. "Mattering" and "importance" do not mean the same thing. It's all about prioritization because a lot of the Quad 4 "unimportant' things are the things that bring us joy. It's up to you to make room for them.

QUADRANT 2

Your primary residence

QUADRANT 4

Your vacation home

QUADRANT 3

The home you want to rent out

QUADRANT 1

Your aunt's and uncle's house on Thanksgiving and other holidays

EXAMPLE TOOLS

THE END