I love to experiment with new productivity techniques to simplify my life, stay on track of my goals and keep my head clear. This is why I make to-do lists all the time. Anything that I need to think about at some point is usually on one of my lists, be it my daily, weekly, monthly or yearly.. I know that sounds like a lot, but I’m a minimalist with my goals and tasks! I regularly reevaluate my course, prioritize, and commit only to the things I can achieve.

To stick to that, I really need to practice daily. This is where I use the 1-3-5 rule. Every morning, I think about and prioritize my tasks for the day. Once I’m done, I commit to one major, three medium and five small tasks that I know I can achieve. I write everything down (template below) and cross things off as I go. I have found this to be incredibly useful for making progress on your major goals, but also keeping up with small, administrative work.

The most important thing: this technique places a spotlight on balance – the hardest thing to achieve in life. With only one major goal to achieve, you will likely have guilt-free, accomplished time to enjoy at the end of your day and you will have made progress on your projects in several different ways. It is less likely that you will burn out or slack too much – it is just the right amount of work for a job well-done!