Organize Your Firefighter Promotional Exam To Do List

Adding the load of firefighter promotional exam prep onto your already busy schedule can be an overwhelming task. However, if you employ the Eisenhower Matrix to help you schedule your study sessions, work schedule, and other life activities, it can be done with ease. 

Eisenhower Matrix Explained

Now what is the Eisenhower Matrix? The Eisenhower Matrix is, “a way to organize tasks by urgency and importance, so you can effectively prioritize your most important work.” Named after Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th president of the United States and general in World War II. 

The key to utilizing the Eisenhower Matrix as you begin your firefighter promotional exam journey is distinguishing between urgent and important. Urgent tasks need to be completed immediately because they have a deadline or a lasting consequence if not done immediately. In terms of promoting in the fire service that may be getting your application in by the deadline. That would be an urgent task, that would have the consequence of not being promoted if not completed in time. While important tasks are more long term centered. They may not need to be done immediately but their completion has long term implications on your promotion goals. An example of an important task could be completing your firefighter promotion process. Promoting in the fire service is a long term career goal. It doesn't happen all at once, there is no set deadline or timeline as there are multiple cycles to promotion, but it has huge implications on your career goals. These important tasks require much more long term planning. Now, let’s break it down even further using firefighter promotion as an example.  

How To Implement the Eisenhower Matrix Using Four Quadrants

1. Urgent & Important

An urgent and important task should be at the top of your to do list. This quadrant of tasks should be the easiest to identify and place as well. It is one that has a clear and upcoming deadline. In addition, there will be consequences if said deadline is not met. For example, if you do not show up to your oral interview, you will not get promoted. 

• Meeting all of your paperwork/application deadlines. Turning your forms in on time is important in order to even be considered for promotion. If you miss deadlines you will not even be in the running. 

• Going to your scheduled assessments/interviews

2. Not Urgent But Important

Not urgent but important tasks are ones that do not need to be completed urgently but are critical for you to reach your long term career goals. These you will want to schedule ahead of time and keep to your schedule to complete. These are things such as long term training and skill building, forming relationships, and of course studying which is done over a long period of time. All of these things are not done just in one sitting, they take time and energy to nurture and develop.

• Study Sessions

• Study Groups

• Mentorships

• Volunteering

• Training 

• Staying Healthy and In Shape

3. Urgent But Not Important

Urgent but not important tasks do require your immediate attention, but have nothing to do with you reaching your promotion goals. One way to deal with these tasks is to delegate or ask for help because they do not require your specialized skills . If you are in the midst of preparing for your promotional exam or oral interview and something urgent but unimportant to your promotional success happens, don't be afraid to ask for help so you can keep working toward your goals. 

• Household emergency ie. broken pipe, call plumber

• Hungry, order takeout 

• Checking Your Phone Notifications Immediately

4. Not Urgent & Not Important

Not urgent and not important tasks are ones you should eliminate from your to do list completely. Think of these tasks as ones that have no effect on you reaching your future goals whatsoever and have no consequences if not done. If anything they are getting in the way of you completing your career goals. Now, not all leisure and entertainment activities fall under this category. Breaks are good and necessary to avoid burnout, but there is such a thing as too much fun, especially when you are chasing your career goals. 

• Scrolling on social media for hours a day 

• Watching TV and movies for hours a day

• Avoidance activities (activities you are doing to avoid doing what actually needs to be done).

The Takeaway 

The Eisenhower Matrix is a great way for the busy firefighter to schedule and prioritize their firefighter promotion tasks to keep on track and on their way to successfully promoting in the fire service. The Eisenhower Matrix can also be transferred to other aspects of your everyday life. Having a clear and concise to do list will be highly beneficial as you enter the busy world of promotion.