All good leads understand the importance of priorities. Simply, some tasks have a greater impact than others. To make decisions without this framework in mind is to drop the ball on initiatives that will ultimately lead to the best (and biggest) results. Introducing our Eisenhower Matrix Template for Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. This spreadsheet template makes it easy to prioritize and categorize tasks based on level of importance and urgency.

If you're a fan of better ways to manage your projects, you may also be interested in our Kanban Board, Gantt Chart, or Gap Analysis template as part of our Project Management Template Catalog. 

Let's dive into how to use this template. 

An Eisenhower Matrix contains four quadrants for you to input tasks or projects or various kinds; Do It Now, Delegate It, Cancel It, and Schedule It. 

This template is easy to use as you can simply record tasks into the appropriate quadrant. Fill out all applicable fields including Task Description, Team, Due Date, Status, and Remaining Days. 

While you won't have trouble navigating the different fields or quadrants, an Eisenhower Matrix is inherently a challenge given it forces us to consider the importance of our tasks. 

This is difficult yet worthwhile endeavor as the simple exercise of weighing the significance of one item to another can lead to a breakthrough in terms of how you prioritize your tasks. 

Whereas something may have felt incredibly urgent, you may reconsider it's actual impact when comparing it vs. other items on your list. That's the main point of the Eisenhower Matrix, named after the 34th President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who popularized the matrix through his own work as the President and an esteemed General in WWII. 

Here is a breakdown of the four quadrants and how to categorize your tasks. 

Do It Now - These are tasks that are important and with a deadline or due date. Don't procrasticate on these, get them done as soon as you can. 

Delegate It - There are some tasks that are urgent and high priority, but not something we can tackle alone. In those instances, delegate it to a team member or vendor with an emphasis on the urgency required. 

Schedule It - These are tasks that are important, but not urgent. Throw it on your calendar so you have a date with that task and can accomplish it when necessary. 

Cancel It - These are tasks that are both not important or urgent. The old adage 'less is more' is fitting for this quadrant as you can dump tasks that don't add value but are currently cluttering your to-do list. 

The Eisenhower Matrix is one of many ways for you to increase productivity and project management skills. You can access our entire Project Management Collection for more than a dozen templates to help you streamline your work. 

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