Eisenhower Matrix Examples: 5 Filled-In Matrices for Real Roles
The Eisenhower matrix is easy to explain and surprisingly hard to fill in. Is "reply to a client email" urgent? Important? Both? The fastest way to get it right is to see real examples. Below are five matrices for different roles, with the reasoning behind the trickiest calls.
- Do now = urgent and important. Keep it short — ideally under five items.
- Schedule = important, not urgent. This is where growth happens.
- Delegate = urgent, not important for you. Someone else can do it, or it can be batched.
- Later = neither. Park it or delete it.
Quick refresher on how the matrix works: Eisenhower matrix app guide.
1. Team lead
| Do now | Schedule |
|---|---|
| Unblock a teammate stuck on a client deliverable | Write next quarter's plan |
| Review a card that's been "In review" for three days | One-on-ones with each team member |
| Fix a wrong deadline promised to a client | Improve the onboarding checklist |
| Delegate | Later |
|---|---|
| Book the meeting room for Friday | Reorganize the shared drive folders |
| Collect status updates (the board already shows them) | Try a new note-taking app |
| Answer routine tool-access requests |
Tricky call: "Collect status updates" feels important but isn't — a well-kept board makes it unnecessary.
2. Freelancer
| Do now | Schedule |
|---|---|
| Deliver the project due today | Raise rates for new clients |
| Reply to a new lead before they choose someone else | Update portfolio with last three projects |
| Send an overdue invoice | Learn a skill clients keep asking for |
| Delegate | Later |
|---|---|
| Bookkeeping (to an accountant) | Redesign personal website — again |
| Scheduling calls (use a booking link) | Tidy up old project files |
Tricky call: "Send an overdue invoice" is urgent and important — cash flow is survival for freelancers.
3. Designer in a team
| Do now | Schedule |
|---|---|
| Final assets for tomorrow's launch | Build the component library |
| Fix a broken layout reported by a client | Usability test on the signup flow |
| Delegate | Later |
|---|---|
| Export 40 icon sizes (automate or hand off) | Explore a new font pairing "just because" |
| Resize banners for every social network |
4. Founder of a small company
| Do now | Schedule |
|---|---|
| Payroll issue this week | Hire the next key person |
| Key client threatening to leave | Pricing review |
| Time off — genuinely |
| Delegate | Later |
|---|---|
| Most meetings you're invited to "for visibility" | Rebrand discussion |
| Office supplies, travel booking |
Tricky call: "Time off" belongs in Schedule. Burned-out founders make poor decisions.
5. Student
| Do now | Schedule |
|---|---|
| Assignment due tomorrow | Start the term paper due in six weeks |
| Register for exams before the deadline | Weekly review of lecture notes |
| Delegate | Later |
|---|---|
| Group project formatting (split tasks with teammates) | Reorganize notes app |
Patterns in all five
- Schedule is where the long-term wins sit: planning, learning, hiring, rest.
- Delegate often means "automate" or "batch", not just "give to someone".
- Later is a polite no. Review it weekly and delete ruthlessly.
In Teamflows, the personal "My tasks" tab is an Eisenhower matrix: drag a task between quadrants to change its priority, add deadlines and reminders, and keep team work on the shared board.
Frequently asked questions
How many tasks should be in "Do now"?
Ideally no more than three to five. If the quadrant is overflowing, some items are loud rather than important.
Is replying to email urgent?
Usually it's urgent but not important — batch it. Emails from key clients about active work can be both.
Where do meetings go?
Meetings you lead with a clear goal are often Schedule. Meetings you attend "for visibility" are Delegate or Later.
Can I share my matrix with the team?
The matrix works best for personal priorities. Share team work on a kanban board instead.
We build Teamflows — a free kanban board with a timer inside every task — and use it every day at the Digital Plus studio to run dozens of client projects. Our guides come from that practice. Questions or corrections: mail@dp8.kz