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.
Christina says
I’ve been doing more like a weekly goal thing, but then I get to the end of the week and those, perhaps overly-ambitious goals, have not been accomplished. This might be a better idea….
Sacil says
I’ve been using this same approach for about a month and it has totally increased my productivity! I’m recently laid off and starting my own business and using a 3 item to do list has definitely helped me get organized and focus on what’s most important.
I’m using an android app, Fabulous: Motivate Me, to help develop positive habits and this was one of them. The app’s approach to habit changing is evidence based, and even though I’m working through it a little more slowly than its designed, it’s working for me.
Kalen Bruce says
Spot on, Josh!
It takes the pressure of a huge list away.
I set my 3 most important tasks (MITs) every morning.
As long as I accomplish those 3 things, my day was productive.
Shawn says
Hey Josh, yeah, the longer your to-do list, the more dreadful you will feel. I used to have a long to-do list too, but now I have narrow the list down to 5 instead of 3 like yours. :)
I followed Robin Sharma’s advice. He said that just do 5 small things a day, and within a year, you will be having 1825 victories, and that will be life-changing.
So like you, I commit and focus in taking only 5 action steps a day. No more than that.
Thanks for sharing…
Deb says
Have you read “The Renaissance Soul”?
Angel Ocasio says
Seriously, that simple. My life is totally about lists. Sometimes, I need a list for my list…oh, that sounds bad. I will give the 3 To-Do list approach a try. Thanks.
Ashley says
I love this. I read not very long ago something about “upper limits” and how we as humans tend to thrive with them and so I did a test where I ONLY read 20 pages of my book each day. I do it in the morning and at 20 pages, I stop and move onto the next item in my morning routine. Guess what? I’ve read more books in three months than I read all of last year and that’s because I don’t put off reading, I do it b/c I can easily manage 20 pages. This simple idea changed my life and made me so much more productive.
Mary Ellen says
Genius idea & so true! Now just have to remember to use it!
joan says
I do much the same but make my list of three the night before. That way, unless an item is do x/go to apt. v before 9 AM, I wake up and start the day as I like: juice on the deck, listening to birds, celebrating feeling well enough, or morning newspaper, w an English muffin, a kind of breakfast in bed, whatever, but not with my to do listing drafting shaping mood of my morning. Start with to be, get to “to do”, list already made, when I feel like it. Or right after lunch.
Jackie says
I like to keep a master list of things to do and pick three things a day to accomplish. Usually I will pick one thing that can be done quickly and two things that take some time. Getting three things done gives me a sense of accomplishment. If I choose to do more…that’s icing on the cake!