I am formulating my next set of aphorisms. I am going to do that by starting to model updates to some work prioritization techniques. As we debate (monotone) this, the aphorisms should organically emerge when the series of articles complete.

Work prioritization is categorized using various approaches. One of note is the one used by Eisenhower and called the “Eisenhower matrix” and this was popularized by Steven Covey in his “Seven Habits…”. It is based on a 2x2 matrix with URGENT on one axis and IMPORTANT on the other help categorization of the work into four classes.

If you linearize this picture in the order of priority, which I call the Linear Eisenhower row, then you get this as below:

If you now look at the picture, we do the first one because it is Urgent, the second one because it is important and the third one urgent or not are both non-important. And then, it would look the like the picture below and could easily be normalized to the second picture following it:

So, we have reduced the Eisenhower matrix into 3 boxes and have simplified it into only three classes - URGENT, Important, and Waste. So, I am guessing we are making some progress.

We shall continue where I am taking it next tomorrow…

Resources:

Categorization - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categorization

Eisenhower's Urgent/Important Principle: Using Time Effectively, Not Just Efficiently https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_91.htm