How to use the ABC Method
An easy way to plan your day
Multi-tasking does not work. If you want to be successful and accomplish your goals, then this is one myth that you need to let go of.
A lot of people think they can multitask, but that’s just a coping mechanism for our overworked, overscheduled world. But if you want to get more done, then start by accepting this truth.
That’s because concentration is one of the first rules of success. The more that you’re able to focus on and pay attention to one thing then the more you’ll be able to get the job done and do it well.
You’ve probably noticed, but this is one of the main points in a lot of habit hacks, you’re more productive when you’re able to eliminate unnecessary thoughts and emotions from the task at hand.
Remember that your brain is an efficient machine. In order to help your brain be more productive, remove anything that drains energy or focus.
That’s where the ABC method comes in. This is an easy, no frills way to organize your day. The concept is simple, and you can grasp it in a few minutes. Let’s go.
The ABC Method
The ABC method is a way of organizing and prioritizing the tasks that you need to get done. This works for tasks on any time frame. It’s a way to prioritize what needs to get done now, so that you can focus your energy.
Break your tasks down into three lists.
1 - What absolutely needs to get done.
It goes without saying that these are things that need to be taken care of. If you don’t put gas in the car, then you’re going to be stranded by the side of the road. That sort of thing.
At the beginning of the day, think of the tasks that are absolutely necessary. These are the ones where, if they’re not done today, then there are going to be consequences. Bills that aren’t paid. Deadlines that aren’t met.
2 - What would be beneficial to get done.
These are tasks that do have mild consequences, but they aren’t absolutely necessary. You still should try to get these done, but it’s not the end of the world if they’re not.
Tasks in the second area are still tasks you should get to (here’s a hint, they all are). This method isn’t a way of just putting things off. It’s a mental model for offloading stress from your brain. The more you’re able to categorize things like this, the more you’ll be able to get these “less important” tasks done in the long run.
3 - Tasks that can wait to get done.
Like it sounds, these are important tasks, but they don’t absolutely have to get done today. These may be tasks that have a planning component or are on a longer time horizon.
They can even be big, important things, but if you let yourself stress out about them right now, it can be detrimental to your productivity.
Again, this method isn’t about procrastinating or putting things off. The paradox is that the more you are able to prioritize like this, the better you’ll be able keep your long term goals in mind.
You’ll track your long term goals more when y0u’re able to stack them against your daily goals. And at a certain point, if you’re not making progress on a “can wait” goal, then it may be time to say, “wait a minute, I need to focus on this today.”
At the end of the day, the ABC method is just a simple way of keeping one thing in mind. Because that’s our problem.
In reality, we can only do one thing at a time. (People who text when they drive, I’m looking at you). But most of us keep a million different things on our mind, because we’re pulled in several directions at once.
This method just helps you keep one thing in mind and one thing only. It keeps your mind and concentration clean, so you can get more done with your day.
Told you so
And…that’s it. That’s the ABC method for organizing your day. There’s a good chance you’ve heard of it before.
But every now and then, it’s good to remind yourself of a simple method that works. And this one works. So if you haven’t used this in a while, why not try it out tomorrow?
And if you’re looking to increase performance in a big way, then give me a call or set up an appointment.
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