Effective Means Doing Fewer Things

I just celebrated my first 4th of July as an American Citizen (I shared my key learnings here) with family, friends, BBQ, and fireworks...it doesn't get better than this. Today, I also decided to take the day off to celebrate by watching three Euro and Copa America matches, cleaning my garage, and doing my Quarterly Finances. Talk about being effective.

Having already discussed most of the Top 5 items from this article, I want to focus below on something that is essential for feeling in control of our workloads: prioritization.

THE THEORY

Deciding what to do vs. deciding when to do it. I’ve previously discussed popular frameworks that focus on deciding what to do, like the Eisenhower Matrix and The Big Rocks (Jar) Theory. Today, I want to explore the concept of knowing when to do it, focusing on “less is more,” emphasizing doing fewer but more impactful tasks. Examples include Most Important Task (MIT), Eat That Frog, and the Ivy Lee Method. These methods focus on a limited number of high-impact tasks each day to ensure our most important work gets done. Let’s take a closer look at each.

The Most Important Task (MIT) framework involves identifying the single most important task for the day. By highlighting the task that will have the greatest impact on our goals, we ensure that our highest priority is addressed first. This approach helps to eliminate distractions and maintain focus on what truly matters. Every day should have an MIT.

The Eat That Frog method encourages tackling the most challenging and important task first thing in the morning. This technique ensures that we handle our toughest task when our energy is at its peak, setting a productive tone for the rest of the day. It's worth mentioning that if you are a Night Owl, you probably don't want to do this first thing, but wait until your energy peak time.

The Ivy Lee Method involves writing down the six most important tasks to accomplish each day and prioritizing them in order of importance. At the end of each workday, we should list our top six tasks for the next day. When the new day begins, start with the first task and work on it until it’s complete before moving on to the next. It's that simple.

MY PERSONAL THOUGHTS

The key is to find out what works for us. These methods share many similarities, so I mention them together. Use them as references to find your optimal approach, whether that involves one task or six. Ultimately, the goal is to focus on fewer tasks one at a time.

Focus on tasks, not projects. Treating projects as tasks can lead to getting stuck and becoming demotivated. "Break down the lion into small kittens" (here's how).

How to determine the most important tasks? That’s where the other frameworks, like the Eisenhower Matrix and The Big Rocks (Jar) Theory, come in handy.

HOW TO PUT THIS INTO PRACTICE

To implement the “less is more” concept, combine the best elements of these three models.

1. End your day by listing your six most important tasks for the next day (Ivy Lee Method).

2. Identify the single Most Important Task from this list (MIT + Eisenhower).

3. Start your day by tackling this important task first (Eat That Frog). If you’re not a morning person, cover this when you have the most energy (usually around 10 am).

4. Work through the rest of your list in order of importance. Only move on to the next task once the current one is complete.

5. Review and adjust your task list daily. Ensure that you continuously focus on high-impact tasks and adapt as needed.

By integrating these strategies, you can enhance your productivity, manage your workload more effectively, and truly embrace the “less is more” philosophy.

Most Importantly,

Jorge Luis Pando

"Don't worry if you don't complete everything on the schedule. At least you will have completed the most important projects before getting to the less important ones" - Ivy Lee