The Three Things Rule
By Cecilia Sepp, CAE, ACNP, LPEC
Many years ago, I developed what I call the “Three Things Rule.” While some people scoff at this and say “well, of course a CONSULTANT can do that but I’m on STAFF. I have many priorities and obligations.” To which I scoff back, “I developed this rule when I was on staff because I had many priorities and obligations.”
The Three Things Rule came into being when I was a Chapter Relations Director at a specialty bar association. At that time, we had about 45 chapters and I also supported 12 special interest groups – in addition to all the other assignments that fall under the line, “and other work as assigned.” Oh I know – we all love that part of our job description.
With so many things to manage and complete, including a weekly one-page fax newsletter, it could be overwhelming to try and prioritize every task and every goal and every deadline for every project. Master lists are great but they can also lead to project paralysis, and the never answered question: Which priority do I focus on first?
Did I mention I was a department of one?
One day I said to myself, “Okay, what do I need to make sure happens tomorrow?” I looked at the deadlines and assignments, and the list of things people had asked me to do for them. I decided to write down the three things I thought had to get done the next day. And that is how the Three Things Rule was born.
What, pray tell, is the “Three Things Rule”? It’s very easy to learn and use, and I still find it helpful today. You don’t need special tools and there is not a complicated system for using the rule. Here is how it works:
At the end of the workday, write down the three things that have to get done tomorrow. This could be anything from cleaning out your email to writing a report to making phone calls to your chapter presidents.
When you write down the three things, review them and see which one is the top priority, meaning it absolutely must get done tomorrow. Then, rank items two and three in order. For example, you might end up with a list that looks like this:
Finish writing report to the board about new education program recommendation
Contact the AMS company about the glitch in the member community
Call the Alabama Chapter about their financial report for Q1
Now here is the real secret behind the three things rule: if you only get item one completed, that is the only one that actually needed to be completed the next day.
If you get all three items completed, these things did not take as long as you thought they would. It means that you may have seen them as more daunting than they were, or you were intimidated by the task because you had been procrastinating.
Compare this to the extreme focus we get when we are only two days away from leaving for the Annual Meeting. Suddenly, all the distractions and “would be nice to do” items fall away to reveal what is truly important.
The reward is this: ANYTHING ELSE you get accomplished that day beyond the three things, whether it is four things or eight things is a BONUS that you have given yourself and your organization!
What the Three Things Rule does is bring focus in a world that is even more distracting than it was when I created the Rule. We are overcommitted professionals who are also trying to live our personal lives. Distractions are everywhere all day on all our devices. And let’s not forget the “people factor” – those drop-in meetings at the office or unexpected phone calls that can get us off track.
We often think we need to do everything, every day. But the reality is: we don’t. Refining our focus and our priorities delivers better outcomes and results. No person and no organization can be all things to all people.
And yes, an organization can use the Three Things Rule too. This can be related to the strategic plan, annual goals, or quarterly activities. Focus on the things that matter, and your organization will see improved outcomes. The Three Things Rule keeps us from chasing the bright shiny thing and focusing on the things that matter. You can easily share this method with your team and your volunteer leadership during annual planning sessions, committee meetings, or staff meetings. It’s a great group activity that can support the group in moving its work forward.
Perspective is a wonderful thing. It helps us see clearly through the clutter on our desk and in our email inboxes to reveal what truly matters.
