Skip to content

ACCA Applied Knowledge · Business and Technology · Personal effectiveness

A manager sorts her tasks into four groups based on whether each is urgent and whether it is important. Which task should she do first under this approach?

The task that is both urgent and important, such as a payroll error due today, should be done first. It has an immediate deadline and significant consequences. Important but non-urgent work is scheduled, urgent but unimportant work is delegated, and neither urgent nor important work is dropped.

  1. AA task that is important but not urgent, such as long-term planning
  2. BA task that is urgent and important, such as resolving a payroll error due todayCorrect
  3. CA task that is urgent but not important, such as a routine call
  4. DA task that is neither urgent nor important, such as sorting old files

Explanation

In the urgent/important matrix (Eisenhower), tasks that are both urgent and important are handled first because they carry immediate deadlines and significant consequences. Important but non-urgent tasks are scheduled, urgent but unimportant tasks are delegated where possible, and tasks that are neither are dropped or deferred.

Did you get it right without looking?

One question tells you little. A timed set on Personal effectiveness shows your real accuracy, how long you take and where you lose marks.

Practise Personal effectivenessFree diagnostic mock

More Personal effectiveness questions