The Ivy Lee Method: How to Build a To-Do List to Peak Productivity

By 1918, Charles Michael Schwab had become one of the richest men in the world. He headed Bethlehem Steel, then the largest shipbuilding and second largest steel company in the United States. The famous inventor Thomas Edison once called him "the master businessman." Schwab has always strived to be ahead of his competitors.

One day in that year, a businessman turned to consultant Ivy Ledbetter Lee to improve the efficiency of his team and find the best way to do business. Lee was himself a successful entrepreneur and public relations pioneer.

Schwab brought a consultant to his office and asked what would help improve work results. In response, Lee asked permission to speak with each of Schwab's managers for 15 minutes. And when it came to payment, the guest refused to take the money right away: "In three months, you can send me a check for any amount that you deem deserved."

Ivy Lee's Approach to Case Management

During 15-minute conversations with managers, the consultant shared the simplest way to achieve maximum productivity:

At the end of each work day, write down the six most important things to do for the next day. Do not exceed this amount.
Arrange your notes in order of importance.
At the beginning of each work day, concentrate on the first item on the list. Finish what you started, only then move on to the next item.
Do the same for the remaining to-do list. At the end of the day, move your unfinished tasks to a new six-to-do list for the next day.
Repeat this process daily.

The strategy seemed very simple, but Schwab and his team decided to give it a try. Three months later, the businessman was so impressed with the result that he called Ivy Lee back to the office and wrote him a check for $ 25,000. The modern equivalent of this amount is $ 400,000.

Why such a simple method works

It simplifies case management as much as possible

Critics call such strategies too superficial and do not take into account all the subtleties of life. What if something unplanned happens? Isn't it better to take advantage of high tech tools? But the complexity of the decisions is precisely what often complicates the workflow. Of course, surprises are inevitable. Just ignore them if possible, and if not, tackle them and return to your priority list as early as possible. Use simple rules to solve complex problems.

He makes you make the right decisions

There is hardly any magic in the number 6. You might as well be concentrating on five tasks every day. Everyone must determine the limit of their capabilities and take it into account. When a person is overwhelmed with many ideas, the best thing he can do is choose the main thing and put everything else aside. Self-restraint can be beneficial. If you don't focus on one thing, you will be distracted by everything at once.

He helps to get started

The biggest obstacle to your goal is the beginning. It can be difficult for you to pull away from the couch. But if you start running, it will be much easier to finish the workout. Lee's method forces you to identify with tasks the night before they are completed, which helps to set yourself up for the beginning of the work day in advance. The result of the work depends on the ability to start.

He teaches you to be consistent

Modern society loves multitasking. Contrary to popular myth, getting more busy doesn't mean getting better. Conversely, fewer priorities increase productivity. If you follow the experts in any field: athletes, artists, scientists, educators or managers, you will see their common feature - focus on the important. This is easy to explain. You cannot succeed at one thing if you are constantly distracted by 10 other things. Mastery requires consistency and concentration on the essentials.

So, to be productive, you only need to do the things that are really important and in the right order.