Are your 24 hours a day enough to get everything done? Many people would say “no” if they were asked this question. I have oftentimes received feedback from people that they find it very difficult to prioritize tasks. This is why I would like to introduce to you a simple productivity method from Brendon Burchard to sort out your family goals by making use of the “Done by One” method.
“Done by One” method for managing your daily tasks
The “Done by One” method can be explained in five short parts that I would like to share with you all today. Let’s jump right in.
1. What’s on your agenda today?
Take some time in the early morning to think about the tasks that you want to tackle on that day. Write them all down in your planner or kanban board. This can be a digital or analog exercise – this is entirely up to you.
2. Your workday ends at 1 PM
Ask yourself: If my day would end at 1 PM, how could I best tackle all these tasks and get them done in time?
3. Major priorities and game-changers
You will quickly realize that it’s not possible to manage everything by 1 PM. This is fine if you’re not The Flash. So what next? It would help if you first asked yourself this question “What are my major priorities today and what are the game-changers for the next day(s)?”.
4. What’s the difference between a major priority and a game-changer?
If you want to follow a methodology for productivity, like “Done by One” it’s crucial to be able to differentiate between the primary types of goals.
How about major priorities?
A major priority is something that absolutely needs to happen on this day, or it could cause problems. What kind of problem doesn’t matter. That could be a social problem, an emotional problem, a financial problem, a professional problem – any type of issue that would result in a sort of repercussion for you or your family. Here are some examples:
- Call your grandma to wish her a happy birthday.
- Plan a date night with your partner.
- Pay the invoice that’s due today.
- Submit a deliverable at work that you committed to for this date.
A major priority like this is basically not just another “to do” on your list. It’s something that is very time-sensitive. You have to do these today and not tomorrow. Grandma’s birthday is today and not tomorrow.
And what are game-changers about?
A game-changer is focused on a desired outcome of an activity. This type of task is possibly not tied to a particular date but has a priority because it is planned to provide a sort of value to you in return. Here are some examples:
- Create a podcast episode.
- Finish that project presentation for your boss.
- Contact a new sales lead.
And that means?
The goal here is: Out of everything that you need to do, prioritize precisely these deliverables that would fall into the categories of being a major priority or a game-changer, and make sure they are done by 1 PM. You might have guessed it already. That’s why this productivity method is called “Done by One.”
5. You earn an afternoon and evening without stress
So what do you gain from all that? By following this method, you’re directly en route to moving your private and professional life forward in a decisive way. You stay in control, and you stay ahead of things. Before you start to take or make random calls, respond to all sorts of emails or social media messages, you’ve made significant progress in your day. That feels incredibly good and satisfying.
Conclusion of the “Done by One” method
Most certainly, this doesn’t mean that you should call it a day by 1 PM. It merely means that you got all the time-sensitive and strategic items on your list checked early in the day, and you can use the remaining time to work on other tasks so they are all done in time and won’t become an emergency. More clarity. Less stress. Better performance. And most importantly, you’ll live a healthier and more stress-free life day by day.
Also interesting: 5 Tips for More Productive Meetings
That’s something worth trying out, don’t you think? And don’t be too hard on yourself either. If it takes you till 2 PM to sort out all the critical tasks of your day, you’re still a rockstar. If might take some time until this method runs smoothly, but it’s worth it, in my opinion.
If you’re into this type of methodology and would like to hear more from Brendon Burchard, you can also check out the video below on time management or check out more about him on his website.
About the author
This article was written by Jonathan Gauger, founder of Heyho, and translated to English by Christopher Isak for TechAcute. Heyho means Help Yourself, Help Others. We help young professionals to leave their unsatisfying corporate job, overcome their self-doubts, and to start their own businesses. With every new client, we provide a child in need with access to education.
YouTube: Simple Time Management Rules
Photo credit: The feature image has been done by Elnur. The photo in the body of the article was taken by Daniel Ernst.
