A simple way to organize tasks to get things done

Apr 27

I like simple ways to prioritize my tasks. The simpler the better, with no apps or outside technology as we already have enough of this. Just a pen and paper and a methodology.

For this blog post in video form, please head to my YouTube channel or check the bottom of this post.

I like simple ways to prioritize tasks. No apps or outside technology (we already have enough), just a pen and paper and a good methodology. The simpler the better.

I’ve talked about The Ivy Lee Method which I use to prioritize my tasks. It sounds fancier than it really is, and I found it from reading one of my favorite blogs @theskinnyconfidential. This is one of the first blogs I ever started following and I’ve seen it grow into an empire using its own productivity advice—including the Ivy Lee Method.

In a nutshell, this method was introduced back in 1918 by a successful businessman named (you guessed it), Ivy Lee. He was hired by Charles M. Schwab, the president of the largest shipbuilder and second-largest steel producer corporation, to increase team efficiency and productivity.

As the story goes, Schwab asked Lee to show him a better way to get things done.

And all Lee asked for was 15 minutes with each of his top executives, and a cheque for whatever felt right to Schwab if the method succeeded after three months.

Here’s a rundown of the routine:

1. At the end of each day, write down the top six priorities you need to accomplish by tomorrow. Six is the magic number. Don’t write down more.

2. Further prioritize those six items in order of importance.

3. First thing in the morning, focus on the first task. Work at it until complete and then move on to the second.

4. Approach the rest of the list the same way. If at the end of the day you’re left with unfinished tasks, add them to a new list of six for tomorrow.

5. Repeat the process for every workday.

Schwab and his executive team gave it a try and after three months, Schwab was so happy with the results, he cut a $25,000 cheque for Lee. That’s over $450,000 in today’s currency.

If you want to learn more about the backstory, be sure to check out this blog by James Clear, author of Atomic Habits:

The Ivy Lee Method is kind of like time-blocking (and if you haven’t tried time-blocking now’s the time to do so). You focus on one task and you focus on priorities, so you don’t get caught up in non-essential activities and get distracted. I go even further by using a time cube!

So every day I write down my tasks in order of priority using The Ivy Lee Method. And the benefits are clear:

· It reduces overwhelm as you’re only focusing on six things.

· You single-task which is much more effective and energy-saving than trying to do multiple things at once.

· And it encourages a healthier work-life balance.

To sum it up, this productivity hack increases concentration and productivity, keeps you organized, and allows your brain to marinate on what you’ve done.

Please let me know if you got value out of this post because this Charles Schwab thing has been life-changing for me.

Plus for extra productivity use this time cube.

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