A few weeks ago, I posted about the problem with productivity, highlighting the ways in which we tend to prioritize life’s urgent but inconsequential tasks over the ones that require presence, but truly matter. Often, we fall into the trap of giving all tasks equal value even when they are not of equal importance. This is why we get a temporary high when we are able to check a high volume of tasks off our to-do lists, but inevitably come to feel overwhelmed by day’s end when we realize we didn’t spend enough of our energy or attention on the things that would have made the biggest difference.
In today’s vlog, I’m sharing with you my number one tool for maximizing productivity while still living intentionally. Add this tool to your own arsenal and learn how you, too, can easily identify and prioritize all of the most meaningful tasks in your life. Then see how much easier it is to keep your attention on what matters!
Check out this week’s video, then let’s try it together!
Click here to download a free copy of my Productivity Matrix worksheet, then leave me a message in the comments to let me know how it’s working for you!
I had come across the Eisenhower Matrix before but hadn’t taken the time to actualize my thoughts and use it as a tool for my daily or weekly productivity projects and thus, always seem to cram everything into the “urgent and important” or worse yet, spend time on the Q4 quadrant with “not urgent and not important” because they were easy to check off but not adding value to my life. So, I started over with this wonderfully formatted and color-coded Productivity Matrix and using the Q4 items (yes, Watching Gilmore Girls) as a reward for completing the blue boxes. I printed out a few pages of the matrix and I’m keeping it on my desk at work so I can visually SEE what I need to do and not get distracted with what someone else things I should make a priority based on its location in the inbox verses me determining where it falls. The best part is when I get something done, I take my black sharpie and cross it out–and THAT is the most fulfilling feeling ever. But I could do that because my priorities were organized and I was able to stay on task and not get distracted. Thanks Enlightbites for helping me put the swirling dervish of “to do’s” down on paper and really figure out where they fall in terms of priority and how it can get done. The process helps me stay honest by focusing on the blue squares, reallocating Q3 and using Q4 as my reward. So far, so good…I’m excited and energized to keep this up on a daily basis. Thanks Lindsay!
I’m so glad you’re finding it helpful, Rebecca! It’s been a TRUE life saver for me! 🙂