Why Doing Just 3 Things Will Make You More Productive
I used to start everyday with a to-do list when I wanted to work. It had tons of things on it ranging from big to small and in the end it was fairly intimidating.
Each day as I worked on this to-do list I found myself opting to complete the small things while putting off the large, meaningful tasks. Sure I was still getting things done, but I wasn't finishing the things that mattered.
Some days I would look at my list and be disappointed by how much I did. Sure I had crossed a lot of things off my list, but, I hadn't done the big things that I knew I should have finished.
When I heard during a summit the idea of selecting just 3 things to focus on every day, I was in disbelief. How could only setting three goals, three intentions for your day, help you accomplish more over a long period of time.
Chris Bailey of A Life Of Productivity was the person speaking about this and there are few people better qualified than Chris to speak on productivity. Chris spent a year testing different productivity methods and even wrote a book titled The Productivity Project that you can find on his site.
Chris' rule is simple enough, and I'll use his words to explain it:
"Here’s the rule: at the start of each day, you fast-forward to the end of the day, and ask what three things you’ll want to have accomplished by the time the day is done."
This rule works for a number of reasons:
It works with how we think. The human brain likes threes. many story books, groups in movies and other things are arranged in threes.
It makes you focus on what's important. When you are picking three things you want to accomplish for the day, you won't include all those small menial tasks. You will only pick the three most meaningful things and focus on those things.
It lets you work within your limits. If you have a massive list of things to do, you may not finish it simply based on time alone. Picking three things helps you have enough time to work on these things. This also means there's no end of day guilt that might slow you down the next day.
You work with intent. If you've only got three things to do all day, you're going to take your time and do them well. I know I rush through tasks if I've got more on my plate than I can handle and I'm sure many of you readers do as well. Doing only three things means you focus on them better, and you create better quality work.
It's effective while still being brief. Brian Tracy, author of Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating has said before, "Every minute you spend in planning saves 10 minutes in execution". While the Rule of 3 may not be standard planning, having these three intentions in mind is going to save you a lot of time as your work on them.
So pick three things and see the difference. I know since I've started this has made a massive difference in how I work throughout the day and how much I accomplish, I still do the little things but they're no longer my focus throughout the day.
The Rule of 3 isn't just for single days. You can apply it to your week, month or even year! I would say that over the course of the week, I accomplish more through the Rule of 3 than I ever did before.
What are some of your top productivity tricks you use? Tell me in the comments below and keep it creative!
