Doing less can improve productivity when it means choosing work more deliberately—not simply cutting effort. Two practices described in Chris Bailey’s The Productivity Project offer a useful starting point: identify high-impact tasks, then choose a small number of outcomes to pursue each day and week. They are contextual examples, not confirmed as the two techniques in Lindsey Ellefson’s December 11, 2025 article; its accessible listing says methods vary by person and may take experimentation to find a fit. The listing does not provide the article’s full text.
1. Identify the work with the greatest impact
Bailey’s excerpt recommends stepping back to distinguish tasks by the return they provide, then allocating time, attention, and energy to the work with the greatest impact. The practical idea is to assess your responsibilities before filling your day with the next available task.
For a personal-finance example, that could mean deciding whether a financial task with a meaningful consequence—such as reviewing a bill or addressing a savings goal—deserves attention before a lower-impact administrative task. The example is an application of the prioritization principle, not a claim that Bailey or Ellefson names those particular tasks.
2. Choose three intended accomplishments
Bailey’s Rule of 3 is to decide on three things you want to accomplish by the end of each day, and to choose three intended accomplishments for the week as well. This makes a short list of outcomes the guide for allocating effort, rather than treating every incoming task as equally important.
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Bailey’s excerpt states: “The rule is simple: at the beginning of each day, before you start working, decide what three things you want to accomplish by the end of the day.” This is Bailey’s formulation in the book excerpt, not a verified quotation from Ellefson’s article.
How the two practices differ
| Practice | Scope | Cadence | Effort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identify high-impact tasks | Review responsibilities to find work with the greatest potential impact. | Periodic or occasional review; no fixed schedule is specified in the excerpt. | Requires stepping back to assess responsibilities before assigning effort. |
| Rule of 3 | Select near-term intended outcomes. | Choose three accomplishments for the day and three for the week. | Make a brief priority decision before working. |
This comparison describes the practices as presented in Bailey’s excerpt; it is not an empirically tested ranking of their effectiveness.
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- Helps Boost Your Productivity - Nothing beats the satisfaction of staying on top of your daily tasks and goals. Use our chic focus planner to prevent procrastination whether at work or in school. It contains daily and monthly sheets to keep you organized.
- Make Your To-Do List Accessible - Remember all important deliverables when you list them on your minimalist project management planner. Each time journal is designed with different planning and task categories, which help cultivate focus and good habits.
- Promotes Mindfulness - Aside from encouraging productivity, our daily planners with quotes support mindful living and self-awareness. These inspirational planners have ample space for note-taking, scribbling, and habit and water tracking.
- Fully Customizable, Minimalist Planner - Our planner and goal tracker are ideal for planning daily to-dos and even major . They also feature inspirational quotes to constantly motivate you as you tackle your day-to-day responsibilities.
- Ideal Gift for Loved Ones - Help a loved one stay organized and motivated daily. Gift them a time schedule planner. This minimalist weekly planner is the perfect companion, so they never lose sight of their goals. From the creators of The Five Minute Journal.
Try them without assuming one method fits everyone
The article listing’s teaser says productivity methods differ by person and readers may need to experiment. You can try the practices with paper, a notebook, or a digital system; Bailey’s excerpt does not require a particular tool. Notice whether reviewing responsibilities helps you choose better work, whether three outcomes make your day clearer, or whether another approach suits you better.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the available evidence does—and does not—show
The available listing identifies Ellefson and the December 11, 2025 publication date, but does not expose her article’s body. The exact two techniques she discusses and any evidence she cites therefore cannot be confirmed here. Bailey’s excerpt describes his own methods and experience; it does not establish through generalizable research that either practice will increase output for every reader. No named external statistic establishing the effectiveness of these title-specific techniques is available in the cited material.
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For background on the two practices, see the excerpt from The Productivity Project.
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