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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2022 Aug 21.
Published in final edited form as: Trends Biochem Sci. 2022 Jan 10;47(4):279–283. doi: 10.1016/j.tibs.2021.12.010

Figure 1. Task priority matrix (A) and calendar (B) as time management tools.

Figure 1.

(A) To prioritize the tasks using the matrix, each task should be categorized based on its urgency and importance. Tasks that are both urgent and important will need to be done first. However, try to work on tasks before they are in the urgent and important box. The use of a calendar will help you keep track of deadlines so that tasks do not become urgent. (B) Examples of scheduling (yellow timeslots) and unscheduling (red timeslots) are demonstrated on a calendar that has been set up by graying out slots for times during the day when you will be unavailable to work on tasks because of other obligations. A line has been drawn to indicate the time when work will stop every day, and fun activities (green timeslots) have been added to increase the probability that you will complete important tasks while enjoying a well-balanced life. Use of a calendar to allocate your time can increase your productivity and the probability of completing tasks and help you to use time rather than lose time.