How to Make Better Business Decisions with a Simple Framework
- Mitchell Wilson
- Jun 27
- 4 min read
The Eisenhower Matrix vs The ICE Framework
Running a small or medium-sized business (SMB) can often feel like an endless juggling act. You’ve got leads to follow up, fires to put out, strategy to plan, invoices to send, and a team that needs your guidance. With so much happening, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and unsure of where to focus your energy.
That’s where smart prioritisation frameworks can be game-changers. In this blog, we’ll explore two powerful tools — The Eisenhower Matrix and The ICE Framework — that will help you sort the signal from the noise and make better, faster decisions about what deserves your attention.
Whether you’re working solo or managing a team, this guide will give you practical tips to regain control of your to-do list and your calendar.
Why Prioritisation is Your Superpower
If you’re doing “everything,” chances are nothing is getting done properly. The best businesses — and business owners — know how to choose what not to do. That’s where prioritisation comes in.
Good prioritisation helps you:
Reduce stress and overwhelm
Get the right things done faster
Build momentum
Make more money with less effort
Avoid burnout
Without it? You stay stuck in reactive mode — always busy, never moving forward.
Framework 1: The Eisenhower Matrix (a.k.a. The Urgent/Important Matrix)
What it is:
Made famous by U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, this matrix is designed to help you sort tasks based on urgency and importance.
The four quadrants:
Urgent + Important (DO it now)
Crises, deadline-driven projects, urgent client issues
Not Urgent + Important (SCHEDULE it)
Strategic planning, building systems, staff development
Urgent + Not Important (DELEGATE it)
Interruptions, admin work, most emails
Not Urgent + Not Important (DELETE it)
Time-wasters, distractions, unnecessary meetings
Why it works:
The Eisenhower Matrix helps you get out of crisis mode by identifying what truly needs your attention. Most business owners spend too much time in quadrant 1 and 3 — the busy work — and not enough in quadrant 2, where long-term growth actually happens.
Pro Tip:
Print the matrix and physically sort your tasks. You’ll be amazed at how much you can drop or delegate once you see it clearly.
Framework 2: The ICE Framework (Impact, Confidence, Ease)
What it is:
The ICE Framework is commonly used in product development, but it’s a powerful decision-making tool for entrepreneurs too. It helps you rank tasks or projects based on:
Impact: How much difference will this make if it works?
Confidence: How confident are you it will work?
Ease: How easy is it to do (in terms of time, money, effort)?
You score each factor from 1–10 and calculate the average. Higher scores = higher priority.
Why it works:
ICE is incredibly helpful when you’re overwhelmed with ideas or potential improvements. It gives you an objective way to filter through the noise and focus on low-effort, high-impact wins first.
Example:
You’ve got three marketing ideas:
Launch a podcast
Fix your Google My Business listing
Start paid ads
Scoring them:
Task | Impact | Confidence | Ease | ICE Score |
Podcast | 8 | 6 | 3 | 5.7 |
GMB Fix | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8.0 |
Paid Ads | 9 | 5 | 4 | 6.0 |
So based on ICE? Fix that Google listing first — it’s quick, easy, and has solid impact.
Eisenhower vs ICE: When to Use Which?
Situation | Best Framework |
Daily task list | Eisenhower Matrix |
Strategic decisions or choosing between projects | ICE Framework |
Feeling overwhelmed and reactive | Eisenhower Matrix |
Too many good ideas, don’t know where to start | ICE Framework |
The Eisenhower Matrix is great for clarity and boundaries — what needs you right now vs what doesn’t. ICE is better for objectivity and momentum — how to get the biggest bang for your buck.
Use both. You don’t have to pick one. Together, they’ll give you a decision-making system to lean on when everything feels urgent.
The Real Power: Consistency
Here’s the thing: these tools only work if you use them regularly.
At Coachbirds, one of the first things we do with clients is help them slow down, look at where their time is really going, and identify what tasks are dragging them away from growth.
If you’re stuck in a cycle of putting out fires, chances are you’re not using a prioritisation method at all — you’re just reacting.
When you use these frameworks weekly (even for 10 minutes), you’ll start to:
Focus on higher-value tasks
Clear your mental clutter
Get more done with less stress
Have space to think strategically
Quick Wins: How to Start Using These Today
Here’s your 5-minute action plan:
✅ Step 1: Write down everything on your mind or to-do list
✅ Step 2: Plug each task into the Eisenhower Matrix
✅ Step 3: Highlight your top 3 ‘Important but Not Urgent’ tasks and schedule them
✅ Step 4: If you’re choosing between ideas, use the ICE framework
✅ Step 5: Revisit this weekly — build the habit
You’ll be shocked at how much lighter and more focused your week becomes.
Let’s Simplify Your Growth Strategy
Running a business doesn’t have to mean drowning in to-dos. You just need a better system. At Coachbirds, we help business owners like you build clarity, structure, and momentum — so you can scale without the chaos.
🎯 Want to apply this to your own business?
Book a free Breakthrough Call with us and get a clear, personalised roadmap for your next stage of growth.
BONUS: Grab Our Free One-Page Strategic Plan
If you want a powerful visual to stay focused on what matters most, download our One-Page Strategic Plan — perfect to stick on your wall or share with your team.
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