Use the MIT Method to Keep Your Overall Goals in Mind As You Complete Daily Tasks.
Many productivity methods suggest prioritizing daily tasks by estimating how much time or effort they will require, and then starting with the resource-intensive ones. For some, this is a reliable strategy, as it definitely motivates people to complete the most difficult and challenging tasks. It even has a strange name: ” eating the frog .” But motivation can also be found in working toward a larger goal. So what if you ranked tasks by importance and impact, regardless of their scale?
This is precisely what the Most Important Task (MIT) method is all about: instead of focusing on specific tasks and how long they will take, the MIT method encourages you to take a broader view of the overall goal you’re trying to achieve. Reframing your approach to productivity and focusing on your goal can motivate you to do more and achieve better results.
How to use the MIT method
First, you’ll need to commit to your goals. You can set SMART goals or combine the MIT method with the Results Planning Method (RPM) , which asks you to consider your goal when planning your day. Take a moment to write down your goals—the big ones, the ones that all your daily tasks should ostensibly move you toward. Think about weekly goals, monthly goals, and yearly goals, as well as immediate, long-term ones. Write them down or just keep them in mind, but always keep the bigger picture in mind. A simple example is school: you study not just to pass a test, but because your ultimate goal is to graduate, do so with a good GPA, and secure a quality job offer. Taking the time to acknowledge this broader goal reframes your approach to studying for one boring old test.
Every morning, make a list of the two or three most important tasks for the day. These are critical tasks that will impact your goals, but they don’t have to be huge or resource-intensive. If responding to emails from prospects will help you reach your monthly sales goal, that’s more of an MIT goal than creating a presentation for your boss, even if creating a presentation seems more complex and ambitious. Analyze the results of your tasks and prioritize those that yield quick or significant results. You need to focus on the two or three tasks that will truly help you achieve your goal.
Take care of these two or three tasks first, then tackle the other, less important items on your to-do list for the rest of the day. You can use a planning technique like the 1-3-5 list or the pickle jar method to figure out which ones are your priority and how much time and energy you have for them. When using the MIT technique, you should also use a productivity journal to record your daily activities in the morning and reflect on how they went in the evening. If you’re not familiar with this, learn how to conduct a post-action review so you have a structure to follow during reflection and can effectively develop any insights you find. These evening reflections are key: you need to be able to identify and see how tackling these critical tasks impacts your progress toward your goal, as well as what you did well and what you could do better if you continue striving. This will keep you motivated and moving forward.