Eisenhower matrix examples: students, parents and managers
The matrix is easier to understand with real tasks in it. Here is how the same four boxes look for three different people. Your own answers will differ, because what is important depends on your goals.
Example for a student
- Essay due tomorrow
- Register for the exam before the deadline
- Study plan for finals
- Sleep, exercise, a weekly call with family
- Group chat questions
- Printing and admin errands
- Endless scrolling
- Reorganising notes you never read
Example for a parent
- Sick child, doctor appointment
- School form due today
- Weekly one-to-one time with each child
- Family budget review
- Replying to every school group message
- Small errands a partner can take
- Comparing yourself to other parents online
- Perfect-looking meal plans
Families are a natural fit for a shared board: both parents see the same list, and a task added by one appears on the other's phone straight away.
Example for a manager
- Client escalation
- Budget submission due Friday
- Coaching your team
- Hiring plan and long-term strategy
- Status update meetings
- Routine approvals someone else can own
- Reports nobody reads
- Meetings with no decision
What these examples have in common
Most of the value is in the second box. Planning, health, coaching and goals never feel urgent, so they are the first thing to slip. Putting them on the board, with a date, is what keeps them from becoming emergencies later. See also the difference between urgent and important.
Try it with your own tasks
TierTask is a free Eisenhower matrix app. Create a board in one click, with no sign-up, and share the link so everyone sees changes live.
Open a free board