Free Task Priority Matrix Online - Eisenhower Matrix Generator - Small Study Tools
Eisenhower Method · Works on Mobile · 100% Free

Task Priority Matrix

Organise your tasks into four quadrants based on urgency and importance using the Eisenhower Method. Know exactly what to do now, schedule, delegate, or eliminate. Works smoothly on both desktop and mobile. Pro Mode adds deadlines, tags, time estimates and time allocation analysis.

100% Private — saved only in your browser, never sent to a server
● Pro Version is Free for now
✓ Deadlines · Tags · Time Estimates · Recurring Tasks ·
Time Allocation Analysis · CSV Export unlocked
Day Night
Study
Work
Personal
Health
🔴
Do First
0
🔵
Schedule
0
🟡
Delegate
0
⚪
Eliminate
0
Urgent ←→ Not Urgent
URGENT
NOT URGENT
🔴 Do FirstUrgent & Important 0
No tasks here — add one above or move a task in
🔵 ScheduleNot Urgent but Important 0
No tasks here — add one above or move a task in
🟡 DelegateUrgent but Not Important 0
No tasks here — add one above or move a task in
⚪ EliminateNot Urgent, Not Important 0
No tasks here — add one above or move a task in
📊 Time Allocation by Quadrant PRO
Save your matrix
📖 Quick Reference
🔴Do First urgent and important, tackle it now.
🔵Schedule important but not urgent, plan a time for it.
🟡Delegate urgent but not important, hand it off.
⚪Eliminate neither urgent nor important, drop it.
💡 Prioritisation Tips PRO
`;const blob = new Blob([html], {type:'text/html'}); const a = document.createElement('a'); a.download = 'smallstudytools-task-matrix-print.html'; a.href = URL.createObjectURL(blob); a.click(); toast('Print-ready file downloaded — open it to save as PDF'); }function escHtml(s){return(s||'').replace(/&/g,'&').replace(//g,'>');}// ── MODE ────────────────────────────────────────────────────── function setMode(mode) { isPro = mode==='pro'; document.getElementById('btnSimple').classList.toggle('active',!isPro); document.getElementById('btnPro').classList.toggle('active',isPro); widget().classList.toggle('pro-mode',isPro); document.getElementById('proModeBar').style.display=isPro?'flex':'none'; document.getElementById('modeHint').textContent=isPro ?'Deadlines · tags · time estimates · recurring tasks · time allocation analysis' :'Add tasks and drag them between quadrants'; render(); try{localStorage.setItem(SK+'_mode',mode);}catch(e){} }function toast(msg){const t=document.getElementById('toast');t.textContent=msg;t.classList.add('show');setTimeout(()=>t.classList.remove('show'),2400);} function save(){try{localStorage.setItem(SK,JSON.stringify(tasks));}catch(e){}}// ── INIT ────────────────────────────────────────────────────── try{ const saved=JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem(SK)||'[]'); if(saved.length) tasks=saved; const savedMode=localStorage.getItem(SK+'_mode'); if(savedMode==='pro') setMode('pro'); else render(); }catch(e){ render(); }

How to Use the Task Priority Matrix

From a blank list to a sorted priority matrix. Works the same way on your phone as on desktop.

1
Add a Task
Type it in, pick a starting quadrant, and add it.
2
Sort by Urgency
Drag tasks between quadrants, or use the quadrant dropdown on mobile.
3
Auto-Saves as You Go
Your matrix is saved in your browser, nothing to lose.
4
Export or Go Pro
Export as PNG or PDF, or unlock deadlines and tags in Pro.

Everything above runs entirely in your browser. Your tasks are never uploaded to a server, so they stay completely private from start to finish.

Specifications
Price Free
Signup Not Required
Data Storage Local only (this device)
Method Eisenhower Matrix (4 quadrants)
Task Sorting Drag and drop, or quadrant dropdown
Export Formats PNG · PDF · Plain Text · CSV (Pro)
Pro Tools Deadlines · Tags · Time Estimates · Time Allocation
Platform Optimized for Web & Mobile
Category Strategy & Diagrams
Built by SmallStudyTools.com
Found a bug or something not working right? Let us know and we'll fix it. Every report helps make this tool better.
Report an Issue

Task Priority Matrix, Free and Online

A task priority matrix sorts your to-do list into four quadrants, Do First, Schedule, Delegate and Eliminate, based on urgency and importance, using the same logic as the Eisenhower Matrix. This one works on both desktop and mobile, includes drag and drop plus a tap-friendly quadrant picker, and runs entirely in your browser.

Most to-do lists fail for one simple reason, they treat every task as equally worth doing right now, when in reality some tasks are loud and urgent while others are quiet and important, and those are rarely the same tasks. This task priority matrix generator online tool lets you add tasks, sort them into the four Eisenhower quadrants by dragging them on desktop or picking a quadrant from a dropdown on any device, and see exactly where your effort is actually going. Click "Load Sample" to see a filled-in example immediately. Export the finished matrix as a PNG, PDF or plain text file. Pro Mode adds deadlines, colour-coded tags, time estimates per task, recurring weekly tasks, a live time allocation breakdown by quadrant, and CSV export.

1Simple vs Pro, What Each Mode Includes

FeatureSimple ModePro Mode (Free)
Unlimited tasks, 4-quadrant matrixIncludedIncluded
Drag and drop, plus mobile-friendly quadrant pickerIncludedIncluded
Export as PNG, PDF or plain textIncludedIncluded
Deadlines, colour-coded tags, time estimatesNot includedIncluded
Recurring weekly tasksNot includedIncluded
Live time allocation breakdown by quadrantNot includedIncluded
CSV export, contextual prioritisation tipsNot includedIncluded

2The Four Quadrants

🔴
Do First
Urgent, important
🔵
Schedule
Important, not urgent
🟡
Delegate
Urgent, not important
⚪
Eliminate
Neither

The distinction between urgent and important is the whole point of the tool. Urgent tasks demand attention right now and usually come with a visible deadline or someone waiting on you, like a ringing phone. Important tasks move you toward long-term goals but rarely announce themselves the same way, planning, relationship building, and skill development all sit quietly in the Schedule quadrant until they are ignored for long enough to become urgent themselves. That is precisely the trap the matrix is built to catch, since urgency is loud and importance is often silent, a task list with no system for telling them apart tends to fill up with noise.

3Where the Eisenhower Matrix Actually Came From

In an August 1954 speech at Northwestern University, President Dwight Eisenhower quoted an unnamed former college president who said he had two kinds of problems, the urgent and the important, and that the urgent ones were rarely the important ones, a detail confirmed by Quote Investigator's sourced account of the speech. Eisenhower did not draw a matrix himself, and never claimed to. The two by two grid used everywhere today was created decades later by Stephen Covey, who formalised the urgent and important distinction into the four labelled quadrants in his 1989 book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. So the underlying observation traces to an unnamed college president, the fame to a US president who repeated it, and the actual matrix format to Covey, three separate contributions that get flattened into one story in most retellings.

QuestionQuick Answer
What should I do with a Do First task?Handle it immediately, it is both urgent and important
Why does Schedule matter most long term?It is where planning and prevention live, before things become urgent
What should happen to Delegate tasks?Hand them to someone else where possible, they need doing but not by you
What should I do with Eliminate tasks?Delete them from the list rather than leaving them to linger
Privacy Note

Everything, including Pro Mode's deadlines, tags, time estimates and time allocation analysis, runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your tasks are saved only in local storage on your own device, and are never sent to a server.

4Frequently Asked Questions

How do I create a task priority matrix online for free?
Add each task and assign it to a quadrant, Do First, Schedule, Delegate, or Eliminate, or click Load Sample to see it in action. Drag tasks between quadrants on desktop, or use the quadrant dropdown on each card, which works on both desktop and mobile. Export the finished matrix as a PNG, PDF or plain text file. No signup is required, and everything is saved only in your browser.
What is a task priority matrix?
A two by two grid, also called the Eisenhower Matrix or urgent important matrix, that sorts tasks by urgency on one axis and importance on the other. Urgent and important tasks go in Do First, important but not urgent tasks go in Schedule, urgent but not important tasks go in Delegate, and neither urgent nor important tasks go in Eliminate.
Where does the Eisenhower Matrix actually come from?
In a 1954 speech at Northwestern University, President Dwight Eisenhower quoted an unnamed former college president who said he had two kinds of problems, the urgent and the important, and that the two rarely overlapped. Eisenhower never drew a matrix himself. The two by two grid used today was created decades later by Stephen Covey in his 1989 book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, which formalised the urgent and important distinction into the four quadrants people use now.
What is the difference between urgent and important tasks?
Urgent tasks demand immediate attention and usually come with a visible deadline or pressure, like a ringing phone. Important tasks contribute to long-term goals and values but rarely announce themselves the same way. The matrix exists because urgency is loud and important work is often quiet, so without a deliberate system, urgent but unimportant tasks tend to crowd out the work that actually matters.
How should I actually use each quadrant?
Do First tasks should be handled immediately since they are both urgent and important. Schedule tasks should get dedicated time on your calendar before they become urgent, since this is where long-term progress actually happens. Delegate tasks should be handed to someone else where possible, since they need doing but do not require your specific attention. Eliminate tasks should usually just be deleted from the list.
Is my task priority matrix data private?
Yes. Everything, including Pro Mode's deadlines, tags, time estimates and time allocation analysis, runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your tasks are saved only in your browser's local storage, and are never sent to a server.

Grounded in the sourced 1954 speech transcript and Covey's documented 1989 formalisation, not the flattened legend most sites repeat. The full sourcing is detailed by Quote Investigator's research on the origin quote. For related planning and diagram tools on the rest of this site, see the Gantt Chart Generator and the full SmallStudyTools.com tool library.

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