#048
Doing More While Working Less
Read time: 5 min
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Entrepreneurship is a never-ending list of tasks that need to get done.
The most frequent issue I hear from business owners is that there isn’t enough time in the day to get everything done. Every time they knock something off their list, there are five more items added.
Plus, many entrepreneurs are the lynchpin in the business. This means every problem, decision, or approval goes through them, constantly taking their focus and pulling them out of flow.
Studies have shown that something as simple as answering a text takes you 15 minutes to get your brain back on track.
Just think how many times a day you break focus to respond to texts, answer emails, or take calls. This adds up to literal HOURS of lost productivity each day.
This is exactly why so many entrepreneurs burn out citing a lack of progress as the leading cause.
It’s not that they’re not working hard enough. In fact, they’re working harder than they should.
By not having a consistent and attainable process to keep them focused, prioritize their tasks, and optimize their time, they're leaving themselves exposed to running the busywork rat race.
The busywork rat race is what entrepreneurs who operate in reactive mode face.
You can tell if you’re in reactive mode if you do any of the following:
- Lack any plan or prioritization for the day
- Constantly jump between tasks as you think of them
- Leave your work to resolve new “urgent” tasks that appear
- Cram necessary tasks, such as laundry, into random openings in the day
- Perpetually kick high-ticket items down the road in favor of easy-win tasks
Reactive mode means you have become a slave to your To-Do List and have no control over your day.
There is an easier way. One that’ll use less time to accomplish more.
It’s called the 3-3-3 Technique, developed by Oliver Burkeman, author of Four Thousand Weeks and the bi-monthly newsletter, The Imperfectionist.
The 3-3-3 Technique works like this:
Oliver noticed that when he made a massive To-Do List of everything he wanted to accomplish that day he felt overwhelmed trying to do it all. Then he was disappointed when things invariably weren’t completed.
So, he developed a method to make sure the biggest items were always tackled, but the daily, seemingly insignificant (yet important) tasks weren’t forgotten.
First 3: Your Top Priority
Block off the first 3 hours each day (or whenever you’re most productive and least distracted) to whatever your top priority is.
Your brain’s cognitive limit is 3-4 hours of focused work.
Capitalizing on your ability to get into a Flow State – where you can complete up to 500% more work than when functioning normally – is the key to getting more done each day in less time.
But in order to do this, you need to limit distractions. Here’s what I recommend:
- Turn off email notifications
- Put your phone on Do Not Disturb mode
- Switch your phone onto Gray Scale to limit your draw to use it
- Block off this time on your calendar so nothing can be scheduled
- Find a quiet place where co-workers, spouses, kids, etc. won’t bother you
This block should be reserved for only things that will significantly move the needle on your stated goals: writing your book, starting your business, creating your digital course.
Come up with a single task that requires deep focus so there is zero lost time while your brain switches attention.
Second 3: Your Urgent - Important Tasks
It’s very easy to list out your entire Urgent-Important tasks, then say these all need to get done today.
**If you’re not familiar with Urgent-Important tasks, check out the Eisenhower Matrix.**
The problem with this method is you set yourself up for failure when you invariably leave the list incomplete.
This is why Oliver chose to limit himself only to the three most pressing items. It’s small enough to be attainable, but large enough you’re making progress on the list.
The biggest hurdle will be remaining disciplined enough to only do three. Most entrepreneurs are performance-oriented individuals who want to fill every available moment with productivity.
The point of all this, though, isn’t to pile more work onto your plate. It’s to free up time so you can enjoy the fruits of your labor.
This means you need to be very selective with your choices to make sure you’re being the most efficient with your time.
Tasks that go into this category are setting up client calls, creating meeting agendas, and responding to emails.
Third 3: Maintenance Tasks
People often forget that life still happens while running a business.
You can’t ignore the little things necessary to make life happen smoothly. This includes items like cooking, cleaning, self-care, and other chores.
This might seem odd to include in an entrepreneur’s schedule, but remember that if you’re personal life isn’t in order, you’ll never be fully focused at work.
Knowing that growing pile of laundry needs to get washed and folded.
Thinking about your car needing to get an oil change.
Feeling lethargic from not hitting the gym.
These are all distractions you need to address to free your mind to the task at hand. You can’t simply separate your personal and professional life into two worlds.
Oliver left the “maintenance activities” category intentionally broad and mentioned they include things like journaling, clearing out your inbox, and exercising.
Ultimately, the 3-3-3 Technique is about creating a sustainable, effective, and long-term framework to accomplish your tasks without leaving you frustrated or disheartened.
What I’ve found works best is to create my agenda on a 3x5 notecard the night before to force the practice of daily review and task prioritization. I now have them in front of me as I go about my work the next day.
Burkeman isn’t dogmatic about the application and leaves the execution up to the user.
You don't want to embark on each day as if on a tightrope walk, needing everything to go exactly right to make it through the plan. This is a recipe for failure.
I hope this streamlines your day and leaves you with copious time to spend doing what you enjoy most.
Let me know how it works and what tweaks you made to fit your lifestyle.
This week's Harder Not Smarter Podcast episode:
EP 014 with Michael Klemmer
This week, we dive into Mike Klemmer's entrepreneurial journey starting Aerial Resupply Coffee, a brand that honors military logistics and support personnel. In this episode, we talk about growing a brand organically through social media, navigating B2C and B2B markets, his experiences with major clients like Kroger and Amazon's Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) service, and building a community around coffee. All this with a heavy dose of veteran humor. Plus, you'll get a sneak peak into our creation of a Kopi Luwak (AKA cat poop coffee 🐈💩☕️) special brew.
Listen to hear the full story.
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