Do you have a Daily Plan?

One of the most beneficial reasons to keep a daily plan is to increase productivity. In turn, it can increase your results. If you have been in any of our productivity workshops, you may have heard about Ivy Lee, who was a productivity expert in the early 1900s and was brought in by Charles Schwab, the President of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation.

Schwab was on a quest to increase the efficiency of his team and discover better ways to get things done. Lee proposed, “Give me 15 minutes with each of your executives,” to which Schwab agreed. That 15 minutes compounded the productivity of Bethlehem Steel Corporation. Do you want to know what Ivy Lee told them? During his 15 minutes with each executive, Ivy Lee explained his simple daily routine for achieving peak productivity:

1. 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.
2. Prioritize those six items in order of their true importance.
3. When you arrive tomorrow, concentrate only on the first task. Work until the first task is finished before moving on to the second task.
4. 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.
5. Repeat this process every working day.

This is what a good daily plan does. It allows you to list and prioritize your tasks. When you have a daily plan, you know what tasks need to be completed and when, which not only helps you stay focused, but also motivated throughout the day.

Key Question: Where does your daily plan need to sit so that you will see it first thing? By the coffee maker? On your desk? Decide a place that works best for you.

Like the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, we hope your productivity grows as you apply these principles in your daily plan.

Leaders, if you want to start increasing your productivity and efficiency both personally and professionally, sign up below to receive a complimentary copy of our Leader’s Daily Plan template that will help you better organize your tasks and plan your day. 

Let’s go be uncommon!