Use Action Method to Get More Done

When you take on a complex project, it can be hard to know where to start, but not if you’re using a “method of action”—a productivity technique that requires you to treat everything you do as a project. A “project” might include cleaning the house, speaking at a meeting, or answering all your long-running emails. The purpose of this change in your mindset is to provide structure for every task you need to complete so that you spend less time fighting disorganization.

That’s why it makes sense to rethink how you think about projects and how to make an action method work for you.

What is the method of action?

As noted, the Action Method is designed to help you be more productive and work more efficiently by organizing your daily tasks as well as your long-term goals into projects, and then breaking those projects down into practical steps. The basic structure comes from Scott Belsky, who outlined the method in his 2010 book Bringing Ideas to Life: Overcoming the Obstacles Between Vision and Reality .

The Action Method was born when Belsky, co-founder of Behance , sought to help creative professionals deal with the inefficiency, disorganization, and general chaos of bureaucracy-controlled careers. The purpose of this is not only to systematize your ideas, but also to develop an action plan for their implementation.

How does an action method work?

The “action” part of the action method comes after you divide your projects into three categories: action steps, references, and fallbacks. A good way to do this is to create a spreadsheet with three columns, one for each category, and a separate spreadsheet tab for each project.

• Actions are the specific tasks that need to be completed and those behind the actions, such as the steps needed to prepare a presentation or clean up the living room.
• The links cover any additional information needed to complete these tasks, such as articles containing background research, emails detailing what needs to be done, or tutorials you plan to take; paste or drag links to these materials here.
• Auxiliary goals are more vague goals that don’t need to be done right now and can be high, but should be based on actions. For example, if the presentation goal in your action column is to secure a new customer, a secondary goal might be to secure 10 new customers by the end of the year. Cleaning the whole house and keeping it clean can also be a secondary matter.

You can use this method offline if you’re a person who works better with a physical diary, but your spreadsheet will be enough if you check it every day and use it as motivation to get started and keep up with your activities. You can always add more tabs as you complete tasks, and add new links and goal-related backups to each existing tab, but the key is to keep track of your practice tasks and get started on them right away. If you need extra motivation, the spreadsheet provides a simple description of how they relate to your global goals.

The strength of this method is that it shows you both the exact steps you need to take immediately to cross an item off your list, and it illustrates how to climb the ladder to your bigger goals. However, there are disadvantages. First, it won’t help you prioritize projects. To do this, use a prioritization method such as the ABC method or Forster’s Commitment Inventory , which can help you determine which projects and steps to take first.