TL;DR
The fastest productivity boost is learning to say no: ask for 24 hours before committing to anything new. Then run the Ivy Lee method every day: write down tomorrow’s six most important tasks, rank them, work the first one to completion before touching the second, carry unfinished items to the next day’s list of six, and repeat.
The easiest way to boost your productivity is to learn how to say no. Not doing something will always create more time to do the things you need to do.
Your level of productivity (high or low) comes down to how you use your time.
After you master saying NO, you can begin to set the stage for increased productivity every single day with 6 easy steps. I will get to that a bit further into this article.
Why is saying no the fastest productivity boost?
I am not suggesting that you say no to every new opportunity. I simply want to point out that generally we are all a bunch of Yessers!
Most of us want to please others and feel that by saying yes, we will help whoever it is that is making the request for our time. How often do you say “sure” without thought when someone asks you to add a new task to your day? The truth is that we say yes to many things we don’t actually want to do.
The bottom line is that if you continually say yes, eventually you will let those you said yes to – down.
AND you will feel over-extended and go into a state of overwhelm. Sadly, when we feel overwhelmed, we become unproductive.
How often do we find ourselves in this situation, even though we were the ones who said yes to the task?
OK – so far, so simple right?
How do you say no with grace?
The easiest way to say no to a new opportunity is to use these words: “Thanks for thinking of me. I am honored (excited, thrilled, honored or whatever feels right…) that you’ve offered me this opportunity. May I get back with you tomorrow and let you know if I can do it?”
Give yourself at least a 24-hour window before you commit to anything new.
This allows you to make a step back and to be proactive as opposed to reactive. It will help you assess without duress whether it really falls in line with your big picture goals.
It might be a fantastic opportunity, but you need to have that clarity of thought and take a step back before you say yes.
So number one is to always say thank you and can I please get back with you tomorrow.
Keep in mind, if you end up saying no, it is a very professional thing to do.
In the end, saying no to new opportunities is really saying yes to the ones you’ve committed to and the ones you prioritize.
What is the Ivy Lee method, the 6 steps that power up your productivity?
Once you have practiced a few times and are able to say no with grace, there are a few more steps to truly ramping up your productivity.
I personally follow the 6 step method created by Ivy Lee who was hired by Charles Schwab in the early 1900’s to increase his employees level of productivity.
So here it is. Simple but super powerful:
- At the end of each work day, write down the six most important things you need to accomplish tomorrow. Do not write down more than six tasks.
- Prioritize those six items in order of their true importance.
- When you arrive tomorrow, concentrate only on the first task. Work until the first task is finished before moving on to the second task.
- Approach the rest of your list in the same fashion. At the end of the day, move any unfinished items to a new list of six tasks for the following day.
- Repeat this process every working day.
In short: Compile 6 tasks • Prioritize by importance • Work on task #1 until completed • End of day, move unfinished items • Create new list of six tasks, in order • Repeat these steps daily
Why do most to-do lists fail?
The biggest problem people have working with ‘to do lists’ is they have too many activities and they don’t prioritize them or allow the activities to peel over to the next day.
Get a small spiral notebook specifically for this process. Keep this notepad front and center and try this method out for a week or two and watch how much more you get done.
Once this process is implemented in your life, you will probably never go back to your random post it notes or scribbled sheets of loose paper acting as your ‘to do‘ lists!
If your days still fill up with other people’s priorities, the problem may be the way the business is built, not your list. Why working harder won’t fix a stuck business explains, and a Business Logjam Session finds the spot where the work keeps getting stuck.
Keep reading
- 10 Ways To Increase Productivity When Working From HomeDesk, chair, filing cabinet and the habits that go with them.
- The 10 to 1 Rewards of Effective Time ManagementEvery minute you plan saves you ten minutes later.
- Steve Job’s 10 Year MistakeWhy working harder won’t fix a stuck business.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest way to boost productivity?
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Learn how to say no. Not doing something will always create more time for the things you need to do. Most of us are a bunch of Yessers who say “sure” without thought, then end up over-extended and overwhelmed, and when we feel overwhelmed we become unproductive.
How do you say no to a new opportunity politely?
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Use these words: “Thanks for thinking of me. I am honored that you’ve offered me this opportunity. May I get back with you tomorrow and let you know if I can do it?” Give yourself at least a 24-hour window before you commit, so you can assess it without duress.
What is the Ivy Lee method?
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A six-step routine created by Ivy Lee, hired by Charles Schwab in the early 1900s. At the end of each work day, write down the six most important things to accomplish tomorrow, prioritize them, work only on the first task until it is finished, then move through the rest in order.
What happens to tasks I did not finish?
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At the end of the day, move any unfinished items to a new list of six tasks for the following day, in order of importance, and repeat the process every working day. Never write down more than six tasks, because too many activities is why most to-do lists fail.
Should I keep my to-do list on paper?
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Get a small spiral notebook specifically for this process and keep it front and center. Try the method for a week or two and watch how much more you get done. Once it is part of your life, you will probably never go back to random post-it notes or scribbled loose sheets.
Originally published on Organized and Energized on October 8, 2021. Moved to addSpace and updated 2026-11-07.
