Tooling for Simplicity: Calendars, Timers, and Shortcuts
While the 1-3-5 rule is fundamentally a habit, the right tools can act as powerful accelerators, making the system easier to implement and stick with. The key is to choose tools that serve the principle of simplicity. You don’t need a complex project management suite with a steep learning curve. You need simple, reliable tools that reduce friction, not add to it. Your calendar, a timer, and a few basic techniques are all you need.
Your Calendar is Your Fortress
Your calendar should be more than just a list of meetings. It should be a visual representation of your commitments, including your commitments to yourself and your most important work. This is where the technique of timeboxing comes into play.
Timeboxing, also known as time blocking, is the practice of scheduling a specific block of time on your calendar to work on a particular task. Instead of just having a to-do list, you are assigning your tasks a time and a place to live. This is especially critical for your “1” big task.
Here’s the exact process: Once you’ve identified your “1” for the day—let’s say it’s “Finalize Q3 Budget Proposal”—open your digital calendar. Find a two-hour block of uninterrupted time, ideally during your most energetic part of the day. Create a new event. Title it “DEEP WORK: Finalize Q3 Budget Proposal.” Color-code it if you like. Most importantly, treat this block with the same respect you would a meeting with your CEO. Decline other invitations that conflict with it. Silence your notifications during this time. You are building a fortress around your focus, and your calendar is the blueprint.
Timers: The Unsung Heroes of Focus
A simple timer is one of the most underrated productivity hacks available. It introduces a sense of gentle urgency and helps combat Parkinson’s Law, the idea that work expands to fill the time allotted for its completion. When you know you only have 45 minutes for a medium task, you’re less likely to get lost in perfectionism or distracted by tangents.
You can use the timer on your phone, a physical kitchen timer, or a web-based timer. For your “3” medium tasks, set a timer for 30, 45, or 60 minutes. For your “5” small tasks, a 10 or 15-minute timer can keep you moving at a brisk pace. This practice isn’t about creating a stressful race against the clock. It’s about defining a clear container for your effort, which helps you stay on track and provides a clear “finish line” for each task, delivering a satisfying sense of completion.
Shortcuts and Batching: Efficiency in Action
Your “5” small tasks can feel like a nuisance, death by a thousand paper cuts. They are necessary but can fragment your attention if handled sporadically throughout the day. The solution is batching.
Batching is the simple technique of grouping similar tasks together and executing them in a single, dedicated session. Instead of answering each email as it arrives, you can create a 30-minute time block on your calendar called “Process Email” and handle your five email-related small tasks all at once. Instead of making three separate phone calls at different times, batch them into one 15-minute block.
This method is powerful because it minimizes the mental cost of task switching. Your brain doesn’t have to constantly re-orient itself from writing a report, to scheduling a meeting, to approving an expense. By staying in “email mode” or “phone call mode,” you operate far more efficiently. Look at your list of five small tasks and see which ones can be grouped. Then, timebox a “batch session” on your calendar and use a timer to work through them quickly and effectively.
