17 Dec 2025 · 0 min
Brian Johnson explains Covey's time-management quadrants and how to escape Quadrant 4, the time-wasting zone of checking sports sites and channel-surfing. When stressed, swap those habits for Quadrant 2 activities: things that matter but don't feel urgent, like a hike.
You're listening to Optimize with Bryan Johnson More Wisdom in Less Time this is a mini chapter from Brian's book A Philosopher's Notes. You can find it on Amazon.
Quadrant 4 to Quadrant 2 Stephen Covey has a handy Dandy 4 quadrant model for effective self and time management that's a key part of his third habit to put first things first. As you may know, the basic idea is that activities can be categorized as either urgent or not urgent and important or not important, and we can throw those possibilities into that little four quadrant model. Quadrant two is for the important but not urgent goodness and includes things like meditation, quality time with your family, working out, yoga, hiking, journaling, studying, etc. Basically stuff that renews your soul. Quadrant 4, on the other hand, is for the not important and not urgent distractions and includes time wasting stuff like checking ESPN for the hundredth time that day, my personal old favorite, or flipping aimlessly through the 2.43 million channels on TV or spending hours surfing the Internet. Now I've noticed I tend to fall into quadrant 4 time wasting activities when I'm stressed, overwhelmed or avoiding something. And I've created a little game where I try to catch myself when I'm stuck in cue four. I see if I can swap that cue four soul sucking activity for a cue two soul nourishing one. It's quite cool. So for example, when I'm about to load the ESPN page to see the same updates from the last time I checked 10 minutes ago, I can notice it and say aha. Nice try dude. You're burned out at the moment. Need a little break. Yo, What's a cool Q2 you can rock? That would make you feel great rather than like a weenie. Oh yeah, good idea. Let's go for a hike. Now feel free to change up the internal monologue, but give it a shot if you're feeling it the next time you start your Q4 slide.
We hope you enjoyed this mini chapter from Brian's book A Philosopher's Notes. Want more Wisdom in less Time delivered in your inbox. Sign up for Brian's free daily newsletter the Optimizer and get the full ebook and audiobook at brianjohnson Me apn.
