How to Use the Ivy Lee Method to Plan Your Workday and Double Your Focus in 5 Minutes

The 100-Year-Old Productivity Secret

In 1918, Charles M. Schwab—one of the richest men in the world—hired productivity consultant Ivy Lee to improve his steel company's efficiency. Lee gave Schwab's executives a simple, 5-minute daily routine. Within three months, Schwab was so pleased with the results that he wrote Lee a check for $25,000 (equivalent to over $400,000 today). That routine is now known as the Ivy Lee Method.

If you constantly finish your workday feeling exhausted but unsure of what you actually accomplished, this method is for you. Here is how to implement this ultra-simple, highly effective system in just five minutes today.

Step 1: Write Down Your Top 6 Tasks (At the End of the Day)

At the very end of your workday, take out a blank piece of paper or open a digital notepad. Write down the six most important things you need to accomplish tomorrow. Do not write down five, and absolutely do not write down seven. The strict limit of six is crucial because it forces you to make tough decisions about what actually matters.

Step 2: Rank Them in Order of Real Importance

Look at your list of six items and number them from 1 to 6. Item #1 must be the absolute most critical task—the one that, if completed, would make your entire day a success. Avoid ranking tasks by ease or speed; rank them strictly by their overall impact and value.

Step 3: Focus on Task #1 with Single-Minded Attention

When you start work tomorrow morning, ignore everything else and open only what you need for Task #1. Do not check your email, do not look at Slack, and do not peek at Task #2. Work on the first task until it is completely finished. If you get distracted, gently bring your focus back to Task #1.

Step 4: Move Down the List Chronologically

Once Task #1 is fully completed, cross it off and move to Task #2. Repeat the same single-focus process. Continue down your list in exact numerical order. Never multitask or jump ahead to an easier task further down the list.

Step 5: Reset and Roll Over at Day's End

At the end of the day, any tasks that you did not complete should be rolled over to a brand-new list of six tasks for the next day. If you only finished three tasks, those remaining three become the start of tomorrow's list, and you will add three new tasks to bring the total back to six. Repeat this 5-minute reset routine every single evening.

Why the Ivy Lee Method Works So Well

• It eliminates decision fatigue: You don't waste precious morning energy deciding what to work on; you just look at your list and start.
• It forces extreme prioritization: By limiting yourself to six tasks, you naturally filter out low-value busywork.
• It prevents multitasking: Multitasking is a productivity killer. This method trains your brain to focus on one thing at a time until it is done.