The Rule of Three keeps you focused on the outcomes you want instead of the things on your to-do list. Unlike most productivity techniques, the rule of three focuses on outcomes instead of activities. By focusing on outcomes, you ensure that you’re not spinning your wheels by working on tasks that don’t really propel you towards your ultimate goal.
It is very easy to start with the Rule of Three.
- Write down three things you want to accomplish today.
- Then, write down the three things you want to accomplish this week.
- Finally, jot down three things you want to accomplish this year.
Next you need to work for these goals using following methodology:
- Decide on your three outcomes – Write down what you’d like to accomplish today, this week, this month, or this year. It’s okay to be ambitious, but make sure you’re realistic, too.
- Break outcomes into tasks – Take your list of outcomes and break them down into tasks necessary to achieve them. For example, if you’re looking to publish a blog post today, your tasks might include doing research, writing, editing, and adding the post to your website.
- Deprioritize everything else – Once you have a list of tasks that lead you to your desired outcomes, don’t work on anything else until you complete them. Prioritize those ahead of everything else.
- Review your day – After each day, review what you’ve accomplished and ask yourself if you did everything you set out to do. If you’ve failed to achieve your three outcomes, refocus tomorrow.
The rule of three helps you see the big picture and forces you to focus on what really matters. It’s also easy to get started with, which makes it more likely you’ll stick to it. However, if you don’t have a lot of say in what tasks you’re going to focus on every day, the rule of three might not be the best fit for you.
Following tips will help you to maximize the results in this technique.
- Start every day by figuring out what to focus on for the day.
- Test yourself throughout the day – do you remember what your three priorities are?
- Improve your estimates – pay attention to how long you think things will take, and improve your estimates as time goes on.
- Feel good about your results! Pat yourself on the back after you achieve what you set off to, for the day, week, and year.
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Expressions and Impressions 