Quadrant 1 - Crises or "Important and Urgent" Tasks What: Tasks that fall into this quadrant include deadlines, urgent meetings, pressing problems, crises and fire-fighting. How we feel: When we spend a lot of time in this quadrant we become stressed and burned out. Action: Minimize the time spent in this quadrant by prioritizing, planning and delegating ie. spending more time in


Quadrant 2. Your clients may need help identifying and clarifying priorities -- and to brainstorm ways to schedule chunks of time for these important tasks. Quadrant 2 - Goals and Planning or "Important and Non-Urgent" What: This is the sweet spot for coaching. This is your magic quadrant! Also called the big picture quadrant. These actions move us towards our big goals and projects and could include planning, relationship building, issue prevention and risk-assessment, and even health and recreational activities. These things help us maintain balance in our lives (ie. planning for emergencies, scheduling a dentist appointment, or booking a plumber). When items in this quadrant are taken care of, they do not become crises later. How we feel: When we spend a lot of time in this quadrant we feel calmer and under control, we deal with most issues before they arise and are likely to have solid support from others. All of this means fewer crises to manage later which is good for our clients, their careers AND the organizations they work for. Action: Help your clients maximize the time spent in this quadrant. Set specific time aside to plan, build relationships, prepare for problems and look after their health. Ask them specific questions to help them see how planning and preparing will save them time and effort in the long run. More time in quadrant 2 means less time spent in quadrant 1.


Quadrant 3 - Interruptions or "Urgent and Not Important" Tasks What: Tasks or activities in this quadrant interrupt or take us away from our important tasks. This could be anything from co-workers stopping by for a chat, unnecessarily checking your email or answering the phone, and unimportant meetings. How we feel: When we spend a lot of time in this quadrant we feel like we are not achieving much or getting anywhere. Often, as a result, we react to others unpleasantly and feel stuck, frustrated and stressed out. Action: Minimize the amount of time in this quadrant by reviewing and prioritizing your task list and focusing on the high importance tasks first. Clients may also need help to say no and question or delegate interruptions.


Quadrant 4 - Distractions or "Not Urgent and Not Important" Tasks What: Time spent in this quadrant are distractions from the tasks at hand. They can include excessive or irrelevant email or phone calls from friends, social media usage, or any activity we use that wastes time and avoids necessary work. These distractions lead to us being late, not finishing projects or tasks on time and can leave us tired, stressed and unable to be effective. In our personal lives things like excessive TV or internet surfing at home can also fall