Do less urgent tasks
I’m immersed in product design every day, and I love it.
Every single day we engage in conversations with Product Managers, Product Leads, and other designers about what is “really important and urgent” to do.
We make lists, assign numbers, and call it prioritization. Then we do something, and it all changes again.
Once in a while, people mention the Eisenhower Matrix. This matrix has two axes:
- On the Y-axis: ‘Important’ and ‘Not Important’
- On the X-axis: ‘Urgent’ and ‘Not Urgent’
Many people focus on this by saying they’re addressing the Important + Urgent tasks first, which makes sense.
In a product-based company, this might look like: “Hey, this feature just broke, and nobody can pay using our app.” Such a situation causes havoc, mobilizing everyone from support to developers to UX designers.
Honestly, you don’t need a matrix to recognize that scenario as important and urgent.
However, too often, people miss the matrix’s real value.
Urgent tasks demand immediate attention, but consistently facing too many urgent tasks leads to burnout. Another consequence is focusing excessively on short-term goals.
I’ve seen firsthand how difficult living day-to-day in urgent tasks can be. It narrows your vision, causing quick decisions without considering long-term consequences. This scenario is common in fast-paced environments and is quite unfortunate.
Important tasks contribute to long-term success. In a product pipeline, these are the true drivers of sustained achievement. Talking to customers, understanding the implications of decisions, reviewing designs—these tasks take time but are essential.
What I’ve learned is that too often, people get stuck handling only urgent tasks. Their perspective shrinks, making them numb and impairing their judgment. Too many things suddenly become urgent.
My strategy has always been to intentionally prioritize important tasks, ensuring they don’t become urgent. Spending just 10 minutes today on a presentation due in two weeks prevents me from hastily preparing 10 slides in two minutes later on.
Of course, urgent tasks will always exist. However, effective organizations ensure they have enough time to make thoughtful decisions. They make sure urgency doesn't cloud their long-term decision making.