Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
We recently published our first Productivity Series article about the Pomodoro Technique and how it can be used to stay focused. One of the things I mentioned in the article was that the Pomodoro Technique could be challenging if you have several different tasks you need to work on. So, for the second article in our series, I want to talk about the 3/3/3 Method which could be helpful when you’re trying to work on multiple tasks.
Here’s how to use the 3/3/3 Method:
- Spend 3 hours on your most important task.
- Complete 3 shorter tasks that are important but maybe you’ve been avoiding.
- End with 3 maintenance tasks. These are things that need to be regularly done.
I can see the advantage of the 3/3/3 Method being that it creates structure to your workday. In the morning, spend 3 hours working on your most important task. Then in the afternoon, do the shorter tasks and the maintenance tasks.
The other advantage of this method is that it keeps us from falling behind on maintenance tasks. It’s so easy sometimes to push those routine things off for when we have free time and then … well, the free time just doesn’t come. So, 3/3/3 keeps us on schedule for getting those little things done.
On the other side, I do see a couple of challenges with the 3/3/3 Method. The first is in establishing what’s important. Knowing what tasks are the priority can take time. And depending on your responsibilities, there might be times when you need to get guidance from your manager on what’s most urgent.
The second challenge could be with time management. Of course, this is the whole reason that we’re exploring productivity methods. But I could definitely see times when someone doesn’t budget the right amount of time for a task and ends up running out of time in the day. Granted, sometimes emergencies happen, and we have to adjust. That’s fine. But if you’re using the 3/3/3 Method and running out of time on the regular basis, it might be worth some reflection. Is this a series of company emergencies or procrastination? Whatever the answer, it will need to be addressed.
For example, if the organization is one big dumpster fire after another, employees might need to talk with their manager about workload and timelines. It’s possible the manager didn’t realize and can help. And if the manager’s answer is that’s just the way the company is … well, you have some other things to consider. We’re not going to get into that here, but I will say there are company cultures that like the adrenaline rush of doing everything at the last minute. That may or may not be your style.
And if you’re finding that the challenge with 3/3/3 is procrastinating on your part, see if you can develop some techniques to assist. This could involve spending some time thinking about the reasons you’re procrastinating. Solutions could include being able to close a door and work in quiet. Or putting some headphones on. Maybe set up some sort of reward for micro-victory.
The 3/3/3 Method is designed to help individuals manage their day and get stuff done, including the small stuff, which can add up if it’s not monitored. This applies to our professional as well as our personal lives. The key is knowing what’s important. That’s going to be the next article in our productivity series … using a tool for managing priorities.
Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby somewhere off the coast of Miami, FL
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