The quest for productivity solutions is upon us. People are always looking for ways to work more efficiently and with greater output. As more people work with greater flexibility, there seems to be increased interest in this area. Sometimes the best solutions are the simple ones. That is the case with The Rule of Three.

What is the rule of three?
The rule of three is an idea presented by JD Meier in the book Getting Results the Agile Way.

Here it is:

1. Write down three things you want to accomplish today
2. Write three things you want to accomplish this week
3. Write three things you want to achieve this year

And … it is recommended that you

• Start each day by setting your focus for the day.
• Test yourself throughout the day to recall your priorities.
• Improve your estimates of how long things take paying attention to it and getting better at it.
• Reward yourself! Congratulate yourself when you achieve what you set out to do for the day, week and year.

How it works
When people make plans they can often get out of hand. We aspire to do a lot, then drown in the detail and the overwhelm of taking on too much. The rule of three capitalises on the value of the quantity of three.

We are used to remembering things in threes – from our early days. Don’t you remember Three Little Pigs,  Three Billy Goats Gruff and Goldilocks and the Three Bears?

Three things are easy to remember and recall. It is a manageable number for your prefrontal cortex to “hold”. This helps you keep your focus. Three is a manageable number. We all operate better when we feel we are in control of our day. 

By keeping things simple and using the Rule of Three, means staying focused on your goals. When you are able to articulate goals easily and clearly to others it helps to reaffirm your commitment to them.

How about trying it?
Would you give the Rule of Three a go? Would you incorporate it into your daily routine? Would you write and let me know if it works for you?