One of the things he did was to set the term of office for the president. He could have stayed in office as long as he wanted, but he felt that an person should serve for a short time and then retire.
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Washington refused to consider a third term and gave his reasons and so set a precedent for a Two-term presidency that was followed until 1940.
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George Washington hesistated to take his salary at first, but became convinced that refusing salary would set a precedent that might discourage other less wealthy men from running for President.
It is not possible to answer this question without knowing what precedent you are referring to, since many presidents throughout history set particular precedents that still influence us today.
I am not sure how important it was since there were not really very many presidents who would have served a third term even without Washington's precedent. Maybe Jefferson, Madison, Monroe or Theodore Roosevelt would have considered a third term had the precedent not been set against it. Jackson and Wilson might have if they were healthier when their second terms ended.
George Washington is an important figure in United States history. The number one thing that he is important for is being the first president of the Unites States.