A Productivity Hack That Will Actually Help You Get Shit Done
Who doesn’t love to cross something off a to-do list? Are you also one of those people who will add something to a list just to cross it off?
Feels good doesn’t it?
But in a world of the #hustlemindset and glorifying busy-ness, sometimes we’re doing more harm than good. In fact, sometimes, by trying to get too much done and multitasking, we’re actually hurting our productivity.
The Ivy Lee method is a method that’s been used for over 100 years now, and something I started doing when I was working from home. I found I’d make myself this huge list of to-do’s, and yes, sometimes it was necessary, but sometimes I was simply taking on too much that wasn’t even important. This productivity hack really helped me to stay focused, actually get shit done, AND surprisingly, leave me with even more time on my hands.
If you search “The Ivy Lee Method”, one of the first articles that will come up is this one on jamesclear.com. It starts off by sharing this story…
The Daily Routine for Peak Productivity
By 1918, Charles M. Schwab was one of the richest men in the world.
Schwab was the president of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, the largest shipbuilder and the second-largest steel producer in America at the time. The famous inventor Thomas Edison once referred to Schwab as the “master hustler.” He was constantly seeking an edge over the competition.
One day in 1918, in his quest to increase the efficiency of his team and discover better ways to get things done, Schwab arranged a meeting with a highly-respected productivity consultant named Ivy Lee.
Lee was a successful businessman in his own right and is widely remembered as a pioneer in the field of public relations. As the story goes, Schwab brought Lee into his office and said, “Show me a way to get more things done.”
“Give me 15 minutes with each of your executives,” Lee replied.
“How much will it cost me,” Schwab asked.
“Nothing,” Lee said. “Unless it works. After three months, you can send me a check for whatever you feel it’s worth to you.”
The Ivy Lee Method
During his 15 minutes with each executive, Ivy Lee explained his simple daily routine for achieving peak productivity:
- At the end of each work day, write down the six most important things you need to accomplish tomorrow. Do not write down more than six tasks.
- Prioritize those six items in order of their true importance.
- When you arrive tomorrow, concentrate only on the first task. Work until the first task is finished before moving on to the second task.
- Approach the rest of your list in the same fashion. At the end of the day, move any unfinished items to a new list of six tasks for the following day.
- Repeat this process every working day.
The strategy sounded simple, but Schwab and his executive team at Bethlehem Steel gave it a try. After three months, Schwab was so delighted with the progress his company had made that he called Lee into his office and wrote him a check for $25,000.
A $25,000 check written in 1918 is the equivalent of a $400,000 check in 2015.
A hack worth $400,000 guys!! Imagine what that could do to your life!
And listen, I know how easy it is to think we’re hustling by stopping what we’re doing to get back to emails as soon as they come in, but the truth is, we’re not.
Multitasking rarely does us any favours. And I feel like I can really speak to this because after spending almost my entire adult life as a server, it’s been VERY fucking hard to break the multi-task mindset.
This doesn’t have to go for just work either. Use this method to run your household, to plan your friends bday party, whatever it is you’ve got going on!
Why does this method work?
It reduces decision fatigue, saves time, and forces you to prioritize your goals. Sitting down and writing your 6 tasks (and try not to go over more than 6!) out, the night before, helps you to just get right into it the next day because the friction of starting has been removed. Having too many items on a list can cause overwhelm. Stay focused, and don’t move on to the next task until you’re finished the first.
This hack has helped me so much with productivity and concentration. (I can sometimes get a little squirrelly with too much on my plate) Let me know if this method works for you and how so!
