Our world IS scrambling to deal with immediate and mid-term fallout caused by COVID-19. We are dealing with a global five-alarm fire. Local levels, however, may only be a one- or two-alarm fire that can be managed proactively. Proactivity requires setting priorities.
It may have been years since you were trained on the urgent/important principle President Dwight D. Eisenhower referenced in 1954. The principle’s underpinnings were presented again by Steven Covey in beginning with his 1989 book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.
We pulled three resources that walk you through using the four quadrants of urgent/important thinking.
Consider reviewing the Eisenhower and Covey resources as you make COVID-19 adjustments over the next 90 or more days. Living in Quadrant 1 and 2 is critical NOW and always effective.
Sources:
- Eisenhower’s urgent/important principle, Mind Tools. Link. Using time effectively, not just efficiently. Eisenhower’s principle helps you think about your priorities, and determine which of your activities are important and which are, essentially, distractions.
- Video – What is the Eisenhower matrix? EISENHOWER. Link. Prioritizing tasks by urgency and importance results in 4 quadrants with different work strategies
- The only thing you need to remember about the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Forbes, July 2012. Link.
INSIGHTS: An old joke depicts two bulls admiring a group of cows across a fence. The young bull says, “Let’s jump over the fence and get us one of those!” The old bull took a deep breath and snorted, “No, I’d rather crawl under the fence and get them all!” The current state of affairs worldwide seems appropriately full of young bull energy. COVID-19 requires some old bull thinking, too.