Proactivity

Time management - Self Management – in your professional and personal life

The tables show results that stem from activities, and how, by focussing on our activities, we can achieve better results and be more effective

Important matters 
are those that contribute towards achieving your priority goals.

Urgent matters
demand immediate attention but are not necessarily important or geared towards meeting your priorities or goals.

 

Be proactive - begin with the end in mind!

If we do not act with the end in mind, if we do not have a clear idea of what is important, of the results we desire in our life, we are easily diverted into responding to the urgent. 

Put first things first!

The Four Quadrant Time Management Matrix

Activities:	Urgent	Not Urgent
Important	Quadrant 1  Crises Pressing Problems Deadline-driven projects, meetings, preparations	Quadrant 2 Preparation, Prevention, Planning, Values clarification, Empowerment, Relationship building, Re-creation, Recognising new opportunities.
Not Important	Quadrant 3 Interruptions, Some telephone calls, Some mail, Some reports, Many close pressing matters, Many popular activities.	Quadrant 4 Trivia, Junk mail, Some phone calls,  Time wasters, “Escape” activities.

 

The matrix below shows the Results of the above Activities in each of the quadrants

Results:	Urgent	Not Urgent
Important	Quadrant 1  Stress Burnout Crisis Management Always putting out fires	Quadrant 2  Vision, perspective Balance Discipline Control Few Crises
Not Important	Quadrant 3  Short-term focus, Crisis management Reputation - chameleon character, See plans and goals as worthless, Feel victimised, out of control, Shallow or broken relationships	Quadrant 4  Total irresponsibility, Fired from jobs Dependent on others or institutions for basics. (these results usually apply to quadrant 3 also)

We have to spend some time in quadrant 1 but this consumes some people and, as long as you focus on it, it keeps growing until it dominates you.  Many people spend time in 3 thinking they are in 1, i.e. spending time reacting to what is urgent assuming it is also important.  Effective people stay out of quadrants 3 & 4 and shrink quadrant 1 down to size by spending more time in 2 – improved communication, better preparation and planning, taking better care of self, personal development, seizing new opportunities, etc.   Achieve balance and synergy in the four human needs – Spiritual, Physical, Mental & Social

Quadrant 2 is the heart of effective personal management. It deals with what is important.

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Related information

• The Time manager Matrix is taken from:

  _{Source: Covey, Stephen R., 1990, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Restoring the Character Ethic, New York, Fireside.    1999, First Things First}