Classic efficiency in modern project management: the Ivy Lee method

What is the Ivy Lee method?

The Ivy Lee Method, named after the renowned PR consultant Ivy Lee, is a simple but extremely effective time management tool that was developed over a century ago. Ivy Lee was hired in 1918 by Charles M. Schwab, then President of Bethlehem Steel Corporation, to increase the company’s productivity. Lee presented a method that was as simple as it was powerful and is still unsurpassed in its effectiveness today. The method works as follows: At the end of each working day, you write down the six most important tasks that you need to complete the next day. These tasks are prioritized, with the most important task coming first. The next day, start with the most important task and work on it until it is completed before moving on to the next task. This continues until all tasks have been completed or the day ends. Tasks that have not been completed are carried over to the next day’s list. This technique helps to maintain focus and ensure that the most important tasks always take priority. By limiting yourself to six tasks, you avoid overloading your to-do list and stay realistic and focused. The Ivy Lee method is a prime example of how simple changes to the way you work can have a significant impact on productivity and efficiency.

Implementation step by step

The Ivy Lee method is characterized by its simplicity. However, it can be difficult to implement consistently – especially if colleagues or superiors have other priorities in mind. With clear communication, however, the method can be successful.

Step 1: Collect tasks

The daily cycle of the Ivy Lee method is repeated daily and begins in the evening of the previous working day. At this point, take a few minutes to write down the six most important tasks that you need to complete the next day. The number of tasks is limited to six in order to maintain focus and avoid being overwhelmed. Write down all other tasks in a separate list that functions as a task memory. If you use an electronic Kanban board, for example, you can assign due dates to the tasks. The six tasks that are to be completed the next day are given tomorrow’s date. All other tasks are either not assigned a date or are assigned the actual due date. It is then only important to ensure that no more than six tasks are due on any future working day.

Step 2: Prioritizing the tasks

Next, rank these six tasks in order of importance. The task with the highest priority comes first, followed by the second most important task and so on. This order will help you to start the next morning without hesitation. The criteria you use to prioritize are up to you. or example, you can prioritize according to importance and urgency, as in the Eisenhower matrix or ABC analysis. Or you can give the highest priority to those tasks that make a direct contribution to achieving the goal, whose failure to complete has the worst consequences or which have the greatest value for the company, and prioritize the tasks according to the Pareto principle. Our tip: Have all the information you need for the next day ready in the evening. That way, you can hit the ground running in the morning.

Step 3: Start work

The next day, start immediately with the first task on your list. This has priority over everything else, such as your e-mails. Focus exclusively on this task and work on it until it is completely finished. Avoid distractions and multitasking to maximize your efficiency. This way, you’ll make the most of the time of day when most people are at their most productive and soon feel a sense of achievement. Also remember to take breaks so that you can continue to perform at your best later in the day. Ideally, the first break should be after 45 minutes at the latest.

Step 4: Work through tasks according to priority

Once you have completed the first task, it is ticked off and the next task is worked on. However, it can happen that the priorities have changed in the meantime or that a task has even been dropped. It is therefore important to briefly check the priority of the remaining tasks. If this becomes necessary, for example because something unforeseen has occurred in your project, new tasks can now be scheduled or short-term difficulties can be resolved. If the priorities remain the same, the tasks are simply processed one after the other.

Step 5: Assign tasks

It will rarely be the case that all six tasks are completed at the same time as the end of the working day. Rather, it is often the case that not all tasks have been completed by the end of the day or the list of tasks has already been completed, even though there is still working time available. The latter case is easy, because you have time that can be used for other activities. However, if tasks from the list are still open at the end of the working day, they should be carried over to the next day if they still have the required priority. They will then be reprioritized in the task list for the next day.

Step 6: Repetition

Repeat this process every day. By consistently applying the Ivy Lee method, you will improve your ability to identify, prioritize and efficiently complete important tasks. Over time, this method will help you to sustainably increase your productivity and focus.

Best practice tips

• Finding the right balance: Ivy Lee set a number of six tasks for a working day. This number is a good guideline, as half an hour to three quarters of an hour can be scheduled for each task in a normal working day. This is also the time that most people can effectively focus on a task before they need a break. However, it should also be borne in mind that, in addition to these tasks, routine activities such as reading and replying to emails also take up your time. However, routine tasks do not belong on the to-do list of the Ivy Lee method. If you write down too many tasks that cannot be completed within a working day due to routine work, this can quickly have a demotivating effect. However, too few tasks can also have a negative impact on your performance if you get the feeling that your tasks are easily achievable. It is therefore important to adapt the number of tasks to your working day and your preferences.
• Plan buffers and routine tasks: Routine tasks should be planned into your daily routine, for example at a time when your concentration usually wanes somewhat. If possible, you should also plan a buffer for unforeseen events. A good guideline is the 60-40 rule, which recommends reserving 40 percent of your working time for unforeseen events.
• Focus and concentration: Minimize all distractions as much as possible while working on a task and work exclusively on this task. You can find some tips on this in our article: Focused through the working day
• Combination with other methods: The Ivy Lee method can be optimally combined with other methods. For example, use the Pomodoro technique to work on the tasks on your Ivy Lee list in 25-minute intervals. This helps to divide the work into manageable units and take regular breaks. Or use the Eisenhower matrix to initially prioritize your tasks. Once your tasks are organized into the quadrants of the matrix, you can simply select the six most important tasks for your Ivy Lee list. A Kanban board can also help you to visually track the progress of your six tasks. Divide the board into columns such as “To do”, “In progress” and “Done” and move the tasks accordingly.
• Formulate tasks: On to-do lists, we often tend to only write down keywords. However, this does not make it clear exactly what a task involves and what you need for it. It is therefore important to formulate the respective tasks as clearly and precisely as possible. A well-described task also makes it easier to prioritize and can help you to actually tackle the task with motivation instead of procrastinating.

Conclusion

The Ivy Lee method is a proven technique for increasing your own productivity and efficiency in your day-to-day work. By focusing on the most important tasks and working through them consistently, you can not only achieve your goals better, but also reduce stress. With just six clearly prioritized tasks per day, the workload becomes manageable and results are noticeably improved.

Learn more about the project and portfolio management software myPARM:

Would you like to get to know myPARM in a demo presentation? Then make an appointment with us right away!