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The idea of earning more while doing less of what drains you seems almost too good to be true. From childhood, many of us were encouraged to believe in the power of hard work. But “hard work” was often framed as doing something dreadful — tasks we didn’t enjoy, struggles that wore us down. We were told that if we endured it long enough, success would eventually follow.
But here’s the truth: that mindset doesn’t always lead to success. In fact, it often depletes your energy and limits your potential. Things that don’t align with your strengths or passions aren’t a path to the life you dream of. So, what is?
Eisenhower was onto something
You, me, Jeff Bezos and any billionaire out there — what do we all have in common? Time. Each of us gets the same 86,400 seconds per day. While most people spend those seconds tied to routines that don’t serve them, others focus their energy on what matters most — using their skills and resources to create value.
Former U.S. President Eisenhower came up with a great way to achieve this. He realized that some tasks demanded immediate attention, others were crucial but could wait, and many were distractions disguised as priorities. So, he created a matrix that divided his tasks into 4 groups based on two simple criteria, importance and urgency:
- Urgent/important tasks.
- Urgent/not important tasks.
- Not urgent/Important tasks.
- Not urgent/not important tasks.
By categorizing his work into what truly mattered and what didn’t, he was able to focus on what brought real results. But how can you use this idea to earn more? Let’s break it down into four steps.
1. Categorize your current tasks
Write down all the tasks you’ve completed during a chosen time frame. For instance, two weeks is often a realistic and manageable period. Put them into four boxes based on their urgency and importance.
Urgent and Important
These critical tasks require immediate action and could cause serious issues if delayed. They are often associated with crisis situations, such as handling a furious client or dealing with an unexpected technical failure in your system.
These situations usually demand your full attention. Ignoring them could lead to long-term damage, so it’s important to act promptly and resolve them efficiently.
Urgent and Not Important
Some of the tasks on your list may feel urgent, but they don’t actually contribute much to your long-term goals. They can often be distractions that create the illusion of productivity, but in reality, they don’t move the needle forward.
Examples include responding to non-essential emails, attending unnecessary meetings, or handling minor issues that others could easily take care of. Often, these are the tasks that other people ask us to do, and we can’t refuse to avoid looking selfish. They can eat up your time and energy, pulling your focus away from what truly matters.
Not Urgent and Important
These tasks can make or break your long-term success. While they don’t have an immediate deadline, their impact is the most significant. Things like strategic planning and personal development fall into this category. They might not demand your attention right now, but investing time and energy in them will pay off in the future.
The same goes for tasks you really enjoy. If you feel you can delegate communication with your clients, but that’s what you do best, you can still put this into the Not Urgent/Important category.
Not Urgent and Not Important
These tasks are pure distractions that don’t add any value to your work or business. They’re time-wasters that drain your productivity without contributing to your goals. However, sometimes, all of us do them. Scrolling through social media, getting lost in irrelevant articles or videos, or other mindless activities keep you busy.
Now that you’ve categorized your tasks let’s move on to the next step.
Related: Leadership Lessons from Dwight D. Eisenhower
2. Pick the tasks that generate the most revenue or results
Look at your list; what tasks bring you the most money? From my experience, these often fall into the “not urgent/important” category.
These are the tasks you’re good at, or that benefit your business long-term. For instance, no one can build deep relationships with your customers the way you can. No one else can strategize the future of your business. Learning — whether it’s taking a course, reading or exploring new ideas — is also an “important/not urgent” task that only you can do for yourself. It’s not urgent, but it needs to be done if you want to grow.
These tasks have the potential to be your best investment. Let’s see why using math.
3. Do your math
Now, let the numbers speak. Take a look at the total income you earned over the past two weeks and divide that by the total number of hours you spent working on all your tasks. This gives you a rough idea of your hourly earnings — essentially, how much you’re making for every hour you invest.
Next, zoom in on the tasks that directly contribute to your income — the ones that generate the revenue or results you’re after. Divide the income you earned by the number of hours you spent on them.
Now, compare these two numbers: your average hourly earnings across all tasks and your hourly earnings from the income-generating tasks.
What you’ll likely find is that your “hourly rate” — or the value of your time — is much higher when you focus on the tasks that really drive your success, especially the ones that may not feel urgent but are crucial for long-term growth.
Related: 6 Ways to Work Less but Get More Done
4. Create a delegating scheme
Now that you’ve identified the tasks that generate the most income, it’s time to focus on them. Why waste your time on anything else? If someone else can handle a task at a lower cost, it makes no sense for you to spend your valuable hours doing it.
So, the best category to delegate is “Urgent/Not Important” tasks. When I speak to entrepreneurs, these are often the tasks that consume most of their time. All because they trick us: when faced with a lot of urgency, we often don’t pause to evaluate if something is important or not — we just do this because it demands immediate attention.
If you find yourself in this cycle, consider hiring an assistant. If you prefer local help, look for someone nearby. If your budget is tight, hire a virtual assistant from anywhere in the world.
It’s not just about offloading tasks; it’s about using your time efficiently. By focusing on what only you can do best — strategizing, building relationships, or pursuing opportunities — you ensure that every hour you work has the highest possible return. That’s how delegation becomes a profit-making strategy.
To sum up
Focusing on important but not urgent tasks was a game-changer for me. That shift helped me move forward in ways I hadn’t imagined. For instance, prioritizing my learning and education led me to pursue my MBA last year. It elevated me to a new level, both professionally and personally.
By mastering this framework and dedicating time to what truly matters, you’ll not only earn more but also create a life that aligns with your goals and dreams.
