General and late president Dwight D. Eisenhower is often credited with having noted that "What is important is seldom
urgent and what is urgent is seldom important." This concept (which he may have inherited from Gen Fox Connor in Panama) is sometimes called the "Eisenhower system," "Eisenhower grid" or "Eisenhower boxes."

A popular implementation of it in recent times is in the book _First Things First_ where Stephen Covey emphasizes what he calls "quadrant two" management. One fundamental principle is to distinguish important things from urgent things and avoid unimportant things altogether.

There are real emergencies and real deadlines in the world, but there are also a lot of interruptions and distractions or trivial wastes of time. The Eisenhower matrix encourages us to consider where items such as preventative maintenance, long-term planning, education and skill development fit into the broader goals of our life, and to make time for those. Planning and preparation are key to having good systems and a better-than-average life.

answers.google.com/answers/threadview
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firs...%28book%29