Create a Better to-Do List Using the 1-3-5 Method
No matter what your productivity goals are and what methods you plan to use to get it all done, you’ll still probably start with a to-do list. Learning to create a detailed to-do list is a key first step to productivity because you need it to move on to other stages of planning, such as using the Eisenhower Matrix to prioritize tasks or using Kanban to organize them . Try using the 1-3-5 rule for a while and see how this to-do list system works for you.
What is the 1-3-5 rule of productivity?
The 1-3-5 Rule recognizes that on a typical day, you simply don’t have time to do everything. What you have enough time for is one big task, three medium-sized tasks and five small ones.
They may be related or separate. For example, a big task might be going to the tax office, which is unrelated to your three medium-sized tasks: grocery shopping, preparing for a meeting at work, and choosing a gift for a friend’s birthday. Small tasks can be anything from answering emails to organizing your clothes for the week, depending on what you consider big, medium, and small.
Conversely, this rule can also be applied to large tasks and involve grouping them into smaller groups. Let’s say you’re planning a vacation. The 1-3-5 rule will help you break down everything you need to do. Booking flights and hotel stays can be a big task. Three average tasks might be buying tickets for everything you’ll do while you’re at your destination, buying what you’ll need, and finding a pet sitter. Small tasks can range from setting up an LLC to emailing an itinerary to your partners.
How to Use the 1-3-5 Rule to Be Productive
Start each day by making a to-do list, then look through it and choose something that is especially timely. (This is where knowledge of the Eisenhower matrix comes in handy, which will help you rank responsibilities by urgency and importance.) From this group, select one large task, three medium ones and five small ones. This is your to-do list for the day. By recognizing up front that you can’t and won’t get everything done in one day, you can focus on what you can and will do, rather than worrying about the rest you’re putting off until tomorrow. It’s helpful to see everything written down or presented visually, so try using a planner like this one :
Then block out time on your calendar for each task, whether you do it in your planner or in your digital calendar. Use time boxes , or a technique that allows each thing you need to do during the day to be allocated a specific time on your calendar, and consider giving yourself a little less time than you think you need to do everything. to defeat Parkinson’s Law , which is the idea that you will waste time if you give yourself too much time to do something. Once you’ve planned out your day, start with that big task. Known as “ eating the frog ,” the “big tasks first” approach will give you a sense of accomplishment upon completion, moving you forward to medium- and smaller-sized tasks. Additionally, it goes without saying that the primary responsibility will require the most time and resources, so doing it first will ensure that you have the time and resources to complete it.
Finally, be flexible. Unexpected tasks or responsibilities arise all the time and are not easily categorized as 1-3-5. You may also not complete one of your tasks for the day. The goal here is not to beat yourself up or be very strict. Rather, it will help you avoid feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of things you need to do, prioritize them, and get enough things done each day. If something isn’t taken care of, be sure to add it to the list the next day and move on.