Putting the Matrix into Practice: Your First Sort
Theory is one thing; action is another. Let’s make this real. Grab a piece of paper and a pen, or open a blank document. Draw a large plus sign to create your four quadrants. Now, take your current to-do list—or better yet, spend three minutes doing a “brain dump” of every single task, worry, and project floating around in your head.
Don’t filter. Just write everything down. From “Finish the Q3 report” to “Buy more coffee” to “Figure out my life’s purpose.”
Now, start sorting. Pick one item from your list and ask two questions:
1. Is this urgent? Does it have a real, immediate, and significant consequence if I don’t do it right now?
2. Is this important? Does this align with my long-term goals, values, and responsibilities?
Place the task in the corresponding quadrant. “Finish Q3 report due today” goes in Q1. “Research professional development courses” goes in Q2. “RSVP to a non-essential meeting” goes in Q3. “Scroll through real estate listings for fun” goes in Q4.
The act of sorting is where the clarity comes from. You’re not just organizing; you’re making conscious decisions about what your time is worth. This process is a simplified version of a time audit, which is a technique where you track your time over several days to see where it actually goes, rather than where you think it goes. Your first matrix sort is a snapshot time audit—it reveals the hidden truth about your priorities.
