Yahoo Lifestyle If Your To-Do List Feels Overwhelming, You Might Need The 1-3-5 Rule
Have you ever looked at your mile-long to-do list and gotten so overwhelmed that you end up throwing in the towel and scrolling on Instagram or watching TV instead? Then the 1-3-5 rule might be just what you need to feel effective and stay on top of your goals.
If you’re not familiar, the 1-3-5 rule of to-do lists says, in a day, you can realistically only accomplish one big task, three medium-sized tasks and five small ones.
“As human beings we don’t operate like machines, with constant, consistent energy and output, so this is a good way to honor that,” productivity coach Grace Marshall, author of “How To Be REALLY Productive,” told HuffPost.
“By acknowledging that we probably only have enough attention and energy for one big, three medium and five small things, it helps us to utilize our varying energy throughout the day.”
Not all tasks are created equally, productivity consultant Rashelle Isiptold HuffPost. The 1-3-5 rule speaks to that.
“Some [tasks] need to be broken down into smaller steps, while others can be completed in quick succession, one after another,” said Isip, coach at The Order Expert and creator of the Trim Your Daily To-Do List online course.
“Some require a shorter duration of time, focus and energy to complete, while others may require much more. This method forces you to carefully consider tasks in relation to one another on an ongoing basis,” she added.
That brings us to our next question: How do you know what constitutes a small, medium and large task? It’s subjective and depends on the factors mentioned above, including the amount of time, thought and energy a given task requires of you.
“Does this feel like an intense piece of mental or emotional heavy lifting? Then that’s your big thing,” Marshall said. “Do these things feel small and easy? They might be your small things.”
Small tasks tend to be simple ones that can be completed relatively quickly without much effort.
“This might be something like filing a stack of papers, scheduling an appointment or paying an invoice,” Isip said. It could also be making a dinner plan with a friend or ordering your next book club book online.
A medium-sized task takes a bit more focus and/or time to execute on.
“This might be something like requesting a quote for a future project from a supplier, seeing a delivery was successfully made to a client or customer over the course of a week, or reviewing work surrounding a current project that is almost to completion,” Isip said. It could also be something like planning out your meals for the week ahead or putting away that pile of clothes that has accumulated in the corner of your bedroom.
A large task demands more of your attention and for an extended period of time, perhaps taking an hour or two or more to complete.
“This task may be a key piece in completing an assignment or project of which you are currently working. This might be writing a complex report, reviewing a detailed document, discussing planning ideas with colleagues,” Isip said.
The big task of the day might also be something that’s urgent and needs to be addressed quickly — like jumping on a time-sensitive assignment that just popped up at work.
Tackle your “big thing” when you’re at your best, Marshall advised. That might be first thing in the morning or later in the day, depending on how you operate.
“You might find it more helpful to gather momentum with some small wins first, then work your way up to the big thing,” Marshall said. “Experiment with what works for you and use your findings to refine and adapt.”
As human beings we don’t operate like machines, with constant, consistent energy and output.Grace Marshall, productivity coach
When trying out the 1-3-5 method, Isip recommends taking a few minutes at the end of the day to reflect on whether you were able to successfully complete and categorize the assigned tasks of the day.
Marshall echoed a similar point: “You might find the small things take over your day, or you’re being overly ambitious with your big thing, or that your medium things are actually bigger than you thought,” she said.
You won’t always get it all done, and that’s perfectly fine. Just be honest with yourself and learn from any mistakes along the way, Isip said.
“Take what you’ve learned from that day and apply it to your creation of your to-do list tomorrow,” she continued, adding that the 1-3-5 method is only one strategy for managing a to-do list and the approach may not work for everyone.
Marshall stressed that you don’t need to stick to 1-3-5 breakdown necessarily but that “giving ourselves set constraints is a good place to start.”
“You might find after a day or two of experimenting that 1, 2, 3 works better for you, or 1, 1, 5,” she said. “Or maybe your energy fluctuates during the week, in which case you might end up with a day dedicated to one big thing, and the next where you just tick off the small things. I recommend reviewing on a weekly basis and adjusting from there.”
