First, let me give credit where credit is due. It was Melissa Camara Wilkins who first introduced me to the 3-Item To Do List.
I have used it ever since. And I’d love to recommend it to you.
For most of my life, I was the person with a mile long to-do list next to me at all times, often carrying over from day-to-day and week-to-week. But no longer.
For the past several months, I have been using a 3-Item To Do List exclusively—and I have found it to increase my productivity and work satisfaction significantly.
The 3-Item To Do List is as simple and profound as it sounds. At the beginning of each day, I take time to identify and articulate the three most important items for me to accomplish.
For example, my To Do List for today consists of these three items:
- Write a blog post for Becoming Minimalist
- Set agenda for our next Hope Effect Board of Directors’ Meeting
- Put final touches on an article pitch for a major publication
That’s it! Three items—all significant, all important, all entirely manageable.
Now, almost certainly, there are other work-related things I will do today: post to Facebook, answer e-mail, text a peer. But my three main identified projects will always take precedence.
The short list approach keeps me focused on the most important tasks I need to accomplish.
But I have found other benefits as well. The shorter list keeps me from feeling overwhelmed. The shorter list also helps me overcome procrastination—the finish line is always in sight.
Additionally, and equally important, the 3-Item List provides a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. This benefit is the main one that Melissa articulates—she even refers to it as an “Enough List.” When the list is completed, there is a sense of finality. She says it like this:
Now instead of ending each day feeling like I’ve fallen behind, I have a built-in sense of accomplishment in the evenings. I finished my three things! I did what mattered most!
The importance of identifying the three most important things to accomplish in a day is revolutionary regardless of where you apply it. It is a helpful productivity hack at work. It can be used equally well by a stay-at-home mom or dad. It can be uniquely tailored for a hobby or side-business.
In order to accomplish our most important tasks, it is essential to remain focused on them. The 3-Item To Do List accomplishes that and requires you to identify them anew each morning.
Sandra Quitugua Kickbusch says
Since retiring I have been doing something similar. Similar in the idea of not being overwhelmed and yet feeling like I have been productive at the end of the day.
I have a list of things to do. The list is more like a dozen items ranging from cleaning out a particular drawer to writing a particular letter. Each item could take five minutes to maybe an hour. Each day I accomplish two from that list depending on my mood and time that I want to spend.
At the end of the day I feel good about removing items from the list. Once in awhile I have a vacation day. Now and then I add to the list as something comes to my attention.
April Holthaus says
I enjoy reading your posts. Your thoughts and lessons are cumulative and are transforming this once multi-tasker. I get distracted so easily. Now I’m learning to toss the many extras in my home and get down to a 3 point to do list.
fredrick nyoni says
having a list of things to do on daily basis is very importnt.its like you always have a goal. You do things which are arleady programed. no time waisting on un profitable issue.
Oherwise it is a good stuff.
Bev says
I’ve been doing this for awhile now in my bullet journal. Wanting to stay balanced and hit all my big rocks I pick one thing for the office, one thing for the home, and one thing for me. It seems to work well.
Nancy says
I love this idea as well. I have a to-do list that is almost a full page long when printed out (I use OneNote to create my lists). Right now I include on my to-do list all the regular, daily things I need to do that I don’t want to forget. That probably sounds silly, but I work in an interrupt-driven business, and I can get to the end of the day and realize I never some routine task, and I’m scrambling to get that done (sometimes after we’ve closed for the day and I should be on my way home) so we’re ready for the next day. Some days it gets so hectic that if I didn’t have these things written down, I would forget to do them. So it makes the list quite long.
After reading and thinking about this, I’m going to separate out those routine daily tasks into a separate reminder list and then do a 3-5 item to-do list. Three sounds lovely but some days there will be more than that that have to be done that day. And I’m thinking I’ll create a separate “future” list to help me keep track of things that need to be done either short- or long-term so I don’t forget, and then I can pull the daily three from that future list.
Judy says
Thanks for sharing! :)
Suzy Toronto says
This will now be my new habit. Done. I love it.
Judy says
Thanks Joshua for sharing. I like the idea! :)
Kathy Grey says
Thank you. I love this idea! The to-do list in my head is so long, I don’t even right it down. I will implement this today!!!
Kathy Grey says
Oops — write it down. LOL
Vivian says
Maybe start by printing the 1000 things to do list fist. That way, yet know that you are not gonna forget all the to dos and it gives you peace to focus on the 3 most important things for the current day. Having 2 miles of to do in your head will only clutter your focus. So white them out , on a computer , and then, every morning, find TODAYS 3 TO DOs ????
And keep your long list within reach, so when you get new to do ideas, you put them there. Then ,if they are important,they will find their way to your top 3 or wet will just do them when your top 3 is done. And you have the rest of the day for other tasks. ☺☺ you sound like me, and this is what I will try to do, after reading this post from Joshua today . ☺????
Stephanie says
Nice idea. I’m newly self-employed / unemployed, and am having a rough time developing a rhythm to my day and staying focused. Might give this a shot!
Brian McCorry says
Good stuff! I have been applying this technique for years and refer to it (literally on my electronic calendar task listing) as “Triorities.”
June Carlyle says
Love your name for the big three.