Hector Mur Lopez

Growing up, I had the methodology of being the most efficient for the minimal amount of effort put in (an excuse for bragging about being lazy). However, when I arrived at the University, I swung to the complete other side of the pendulum as I made myself as busy as possible, always trying to bite more than I could chew. It worked during the short term, but in the long term, I hadn’t gone anywhere either because I was a continuous slave to the urgent, and the moment I didn’t have any more urgencies, I would flatline completely proceeding to waste all my time until the urgent caught up to me again. The sad reality is that this is how most people live.

As I reflected on this pattern, I realized I needed to find a way to fight against the overwhelming responsibilities and chores that had accumulated. I landed on a solution that I had long forgotten: the power of setting priorities. In the following article, I will share different complementary tools and strategies that I have used or currently use to systematize my life. I believe these tools can help you take back control of your time and shape your own future, as they have helped me in doing so.

Action-based Systems

Action-based prioritization systems provide concrete tools to systematically work through tasks and responsibilities. These methods focus on detailed to-do lists, breaking down projects into steps, and structuring time. These systems give a clear, step-by-step process to tackle priorities and avoid feeling overwhelmed. Hence, by implementing action-based techniques, you can ensure steady progress on important goals, one task at a time.

Daily Checklist

The checklist is the easiest tool in the arsenal, but you shouldn’t underestimate its power. Checklists are extremely versatile and can be used in countless applications. Nowadays, they come in all different forms and functionalities, so you can choose whichever works best for you.

The way I’ve found checklists to be most effective is to use them to list out every action I want to accomplish in a day. I work through the list, completing tasks one by one until everything is done. Then, I’ll add any additional tasks from my ‘to-do later’ lists. When choosing a to-do list app, I recommend looking for one that allows you to repeat tasks, schedule tasks, and create multiple lists. These features have been crucial for me to stay on top of my responsibilities.

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

If you have projects or goals you want to accomplish, creating a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is an excellent tool to break them down into manageable steps. The WBS is an essential project management technique that can make even the largest endeavors feel more achievable.

The process works as follows:

1. Start by identifying the key deliverables or milestones you must achieve for the project or goal. These are the high-level components that make up the overall scope.
2. For each deliverable, list out the specific elements or sub-tasks required to complete it. This adds another level of detail to the plan.
3. Finally, break down each element into the individual work packages – the smallest actionable steps needed.

Once you have this full WBS mapped out, you can then transfer the work packages directly onto a checklist or schedule. This allows you to systematically work through the project one step at a time.

The beauty of the WBS is that it can be applied to all types of initiatives, not just formal projects. You can use this same structured approach for personal goals, hobbies, or any other area of your life that requires planning and organization. Integrating the WBS with your daily to-do list is a great way to keep everything on track.

Overall, the WBS is a powerful productivity tool transforming large, complex undertakings into clear, actionable steps. By breaking things down methodically, you can make steady progress and achieve even your biggest aims.

Time Blocking

Time blocking is another key action-based technique for prioritizing your time and efforts. This method involves dividing your day into specific blocks of time (preferably 30 minutes to 4 hours), each dedicated to a particular set of tasks or activities. By intentionally scheduling your time, you can minimize distractions, stay focused, and ensure you make progress on your most important priorities. Time blocking helps you avoid the trap of constantly reacting to the urgent and instead proactively allocate your time to what truly matters.

From my experience, the best way to block time is by having a weekly review (time block of 30 to 60 minutes), in which you set weekly priorities and block time for the different tasks that you will have to do. This can also be paired up with the decision matrix to create a more robust and prioritized system. An additional technique that I have used has been to color code my calendar into non-negotiables, mandatory/fixed tasks, and other 4 colors for the different decision matrix quadrants.

Decision-based Systems

Decision-based prioritization systems help you classify tasks based on factors like urgency, importance, and impact, allowing you to strategically allocate your time and resources toward your most critical goals. The following two frameworks have helped me in different ways, and I believe they will help you, too.

Highest Impact Minimal Effort (HIME)

One framework that can help you decide which tasks to tackle first is called HIME, or Highest Impact Minimal Effort. The HIME framework is my go-to when I’m feeling stuck and don’t know where to start. It’s super simple but very effective. This is because the model focuses on prioritizing the easy wins, as shown in the picture below, which will help you gain momentum to eventually accomplish those big bets.

Here’s how it works:

1. Create a spreadsheet of all the tasks you need to complete.
2. For each one, score it on a scale of 1-10 for impact. If you don’t know, as yourself, how much of a difference will this task make?
3. Then, score it on ease, with 1 being the most effort and 10 being the easiest.
4. Multiply those two numbers and sort the list to get your HIME ranking.
5. Proceed to complete/use the first item of the sorted list

The greatness of this model is that it can be applied in all kinds of scenarios, such as which software to use, which idea to pursue, etc. As long as you have a decision to make, this model will be there for you.

Eisenhower Decision Matrix

The Eisenhower Decision Matrix is probably the most well-known prioritization tool out there, but this doesn’t take away from its effectiveness. It is a tool that helps you categorize tasks based on their urgency and importance. By plotting tasks on a 2×2 grid, you can quickly identify which ones require immediate action, which can wait, and which may not be worth your time at all. This allows you to visualize and plan for the important and not urgent, which is where most of the progress is made.

Here’s how I apply the Eisenhower Matrix to plan my week:

1. During my weekly review, I compile a comprehensive to-do list of everything I need to accomplish in the upcoming week.
2. I then categorize each task into one of the four quadrants of the Eisenhower Matrix and estimate its time duration.
3. I block off dedicated time on my calendar to work on the Important and Urgent first.
4. Next, I schedule time for Important but Not Urgent tasks—this is where I focus my most productive energy.
5. I try to delegate or automate as many of the Urgent but Not Important tasks as possible.
6. And I ruthlessly eliminate or minimize anything that falls into the Not Important and Not Urgent quadrant.

Hybrid Systems

You might have noticed that the tools I have introduced can be used synergistically with one another, creating a hybrid system that provides even more structure and clarity. For example, you can use the WBS to break down a major project and then apply the Eisenhower Matrix to prioritize the individual work packages. Time blocking can then be used to schedule focused work sessions for high-impact, low-effort tasks. This integrated approach ensures you make steady progress on your most important goals while also addressing urgent matters. The key is finding the right balance and flow between these complementary techniques.

The problem nowadays is that most of the current tools and software don’t allow us to implement decision-based systems into our action-based tools. This disconnect can make it challenging to maintain a cohesive productivity workflow.

I have looked all throughout the internet to find a tool that would allow me to make decisions and set priorities for the day, and I have finally found the ultimate checklist: Simpleology. Simpleology is a comprehensive productivity platform that seamlessly integrates action-based and decision-based prioritization methods. It allows you to schedule tasks into your calendar, delegate tasks, create projects, run automation, and more. I highly recommend that you check it out using the link here. It has multiple plans, including a free version, which is perfect for individual use.

Alternatively, if you want to try to make your own system, I have found Airtable very useful, as it has a vast array of options for automation and personalization. I have created a template called the Task Breaker, which incorporates most of the principles I have explained in this article. If you sign up below to get your free template, I will start communicating with you soon.