The 1-3-5 Method: Why Your To-Do Lists Fail

20 tasks on your list and only half of them done? Sound familiar? This is rarely due to a lack of discipline, but perhaps simply due to how your to-do lists are structured.

Why your to-do list simply isn't working

On your classic to-do list, big and small tasks stand side by side as equals. "Create annual presentation" gets the exact same checkmark as "answer emails", even though both to-dos require completely different amounts of time and energy. And at the end of the day, you wonder why, despite many checkmarks, hardly anything is really moving forward. This is because you are simply working through your list from top to bottom.

The 1-3-5 method: 1 big, 3 medium and 5 small tasks

The idea behind it is simple: instead of writing down 20 items in the morning, you only plan nine tasks for your day. 1 big task that requires time and concentration, for example finishing a presentation. 3 medium tasks that are important but manageable, like checking a proposal or preparing for a meeting. 5 small tasks that can be done on the side, e.g. answering an email or filing a document. The actual learning effect does not lie in the numbers 1-3-5, but rather in the fact that you first assess each task according to size and importance, an important prerequisite for planning your workday efficiently.

When the method is not suitable

The numbers 1-3-5 are a guideline, not a law of nature. On a day full of meetings, it makes little sense to desperately plan nine additional tasks. Then the list can also be shorter. The method also does not replace prioritization, e.g. for urgent deadlines. It is not a "perfect productivity method", but a small, practical hack for anyone whose to-do list is regularly larger than their workday.

Give it a try

Don't write down your complete to-do list. Instead, consciously choose 1 big, 3 medium and 5 small tasks and observe in the evening how that feels. You can find the interactive version with sample tasks to try out for yourself in our Academy.

Note on creation: This article was created with AI assistance and editorially adapted.