Making lists: the "3 + 2" rule

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

With today's flow of information and tasks without a to-do list for every day, we will simply get lost in chaos and risk not fulfilling even half of our plans.

Long lists of tasks do not help everyone and not always. We can get lost among all these points and at the end of the day still not understand what you managed to do?

To motivate yourself, it is very useful to know that today we were great and have done so many important things! And then we will proceed with the implementation of the following list with even greater enthusiasm. If the list is endless and in order to stay put, you need to run, you risk losing all motivation altogether and starting your favorite business - procrastination.

For those who do not like long lists, there is a rule of making a list of tasks "3 + 2".

Rule "3 + 2"

Let's say your list of tasks for today consists of items A, B, C, D and D. But something can go wrong (and this is most often the case) and as a result, you will not have time to complete the last few items. Knowing in advance that our day does not always go according to plan, it is better not to get upset in vain and just make a list of the first three points, and the remaining two will be additional. If you cope with the main list and you have time to complete additional items, you will feel like a hero. The day was not in vain and you were able to do more than planned!

If there are many more items in your list, the first three are included in the main section, and the rest are sent to the "+ 2" section.

How it works?

Make cards for yourself and write on them the three main tasks you plan to accomplish today and two additional minor things. About 2-3 hours should be set aside for the main tasks, and 20 minutes for the small additional tasks.

As a result, you have time to do more than if you had a standard list. With a certain time frame, you do not hesitate and have time to do more. At the same time, you are more focused on the tasks at hand.

Switching between tasks also does not take a lot of time, since you have only three main tasks. Plus, this technique allows you to avoid burnout and a kind of balance is established Personal life vs Work.

Solving the problem of switching from one task to another

Switching quickly from one task to another is often problematic for many people. Especially when the tasks are completely different topics. If you have only 3 important things planned for today and two additional ones, you do not need to worry about future projects (provided that you can tune your brain only to complete the planned).

The day will be even more productive if, for example, two of the three main tasks will relate to one project, and the auxiliary ones will accompany them. Then switching will take a minimum of time and you will not lose focus on completing tasks.

Try this method and perhaps you will find the right balance between your work and your personal time. Even if there are more than ten most important things on your list today, you still understand that you are not able to do everything efficiently and on time, right?