Ever felt like you don't have enough time? Everyone has 24 hours a day. How come some achieve more than others? The secret is to do use the four magic quadrants to execute your tasks.

The four magic quadrants are the tool to prioritize your tasks. There are two elements in each task you should do: "important" and "urgent". Using these two elements, we have four quadrants to put each of your tasks into: "important and urgent" (Quadrant 1), "important and not urgent" (Quadrant 2), "not important and urgent" (Quadrant 3), and "not important and not urgent" (Quadrant 4). Quadrant 1 is tasks such as important project with close deadlines, or dealing with crisis. Quadrant 2 tasks are long term projects, maintaining good health by regular exercise, communicating regularly with your loved ones, or planning your tasks in advance. Quadrant 3 are things like jumping to answer every phone call whenever your phone rings, or stopping what you are doing to chat with every one that knocks on your door. Quadrant 4 includes activities like chatting your work time away, or staying too long in your office kitchen to drink coffee.

Most people feel like running out of time and stressed out because they spend too much doing things in Quadrant 3 and 4, and too little time on Quadrant 1 and 2. The problem is that Quadrant 1 and 2 contain tasks that will make the most positive impact on your life while Quadrant 3 and 4 will make no impact or negative impact on your life. If you only do things that have no impact or negative impact on your life, you are conditioned to go off-track of what you want to achieve in your life.

Let's imagine we have two people, Joe Smith and Peter Buck. Both have the same goal of competing project A by the end of 2007. Now is the first of January 2007 and Joe and Peter have one year to complete project A. Joe does not know how to use the four quadrants but Peter does.

Joe starts off the project by reading the objective of the project, and thinking that "Oh there is plenty of time ahead. I don't need to start now". In March 2007, Joe reads the project again and says "Ah still heaps of time. Let's go and have some coffee (Quadrant 4 activity). Also, I need to call my wife to remind her to buy some beef for tonight dinner (Quadrant 3)". Time passes. In November, Joe decides to plan something for the project and finds out that two months are not enough. He gets stressed and finally abandons the project. He fails to achieve his goal.

Peter, however, knows how to use the four quadrants effectively. In January, he plans the whole project over the period of a year, creates specific tasks for each month (Quadrant 2) and starts his tasks for January straight away (Quadrant 1). In each month, he completes tasks for that month without worrying about the next month's tasks (Quadrant 1). If anything urgent comes up that needs no attention such as phone call interruptions (Quadrant 3), he decides to finish the tasks for the month first and return the call later. One he finishes the tasks, he still can enjoy a cup of coffee to reward himself (Quadrant 4). So in December, the project is complete beautifully and Peter has no stress or worry and is still able to enjoy himself.

As simple as it may sound, by putting your tasks into the four quadrants and disciplining yourself to complete Quadrant 1 and 2 activities first, you achieve more in your life in no time.

About the Author

Vinh Nguyen is a free spirited writer. He is passionate about what motivates people. He believes that everyone has only one goal in life - TO BE HAPPY and everyone deserves to be happy. The challenge for you is to decide what makes you happy.

His favourite website: http://livingthesecret.thesgrprogram.com