The 1-3-5 Rule: A Simple To-Do List Strategy to Get More Done Every Day

The 1-3-5 Rule: A Simple To-Do List Strategy to Get More Done Every Day

Feeling Overwhelmed by Your To-Do List?

Ever looked at your daily task list and wondered, “How will I ever finish all of this?” You’re not alone. According to Amazing Marvin, when people list too many tasks, they typically complete only around 7. Overloading a list doesn’t help—it hurts.

The solution? A surprisingly effective system called the 1-3-5 Rule. It’s minimal, flexible, and realistic—and just might be the end of your endless to-do list.

What Is the 1-3-5 Rule?

The 1-3-5 Rule is a simple structure for daily planning:

1 Big Task

3 Medium Tasks

5 Small Tasks

That’s it. Just nine tasks total. Big tasks might take a few hours, mediums around 30–60 minutes, and small tasks only 5–15 minutes.

By limiting yourself to nine items a day, you focus only on what truly matters—without the stress of an overwhelming list.

Why 1-3-5 Works

🎯 Prioritization Made Easy
By limiting your list, you naturally rank tasks by size and importance. No more treating “email Susan” and “build pitch deck” as equals.

🧠 Psychology-Backed Simplicity
Studies show that small wins boost momentum. Traftt notes how completing just one important task per day improves focus and long-term success.

⛔ Say Goodbye to Overcommitment
Trying to do everything? That’s how tasks fall through the cracks. The 1-3-5 rule keeps your day achievable and intentional.

How to Use the 1-3-5 Rule

✅ Step 1: Pick Your “1”

Your big task should move the needle. This could be finishing a report, solving a bug, or prepping for a presentation.

Tip: Choose your “1” the night before or in your morning routine. Make it your non-negotiable.

✅ Step 2: Choose 3 Medium Tasks

Mediums are meaningful but shorter—like writing an email campaign, reviewing feedback, or preparing notes for a meeting.

✅ Step 3: Add 5 Small Tasks

Small tasks keep momentum going—responding to an email, checking analytics, booking an appointment.

These low-effort wins give you a dopamine hit, keeping you in flow.

Want to Supercharge This System?

Use a tool like TaskSite — a browser extension that lets you attach tasks directly to the websites they relate to.

• Your big task is editing a pitch deck in Canva? Add a note to Canva’s URL in TaskSite.
• Need to follow up on LinkedIn messages? Add it to LinkedIn.
• Reviewing a doc in Notion? Add the task to that specific page.

🧠 Every time you open that tool or site, your to-do pops up in context. You won’t forget, because it’s right there.

Real-Life Example: Jane’s Productive Day

Let’s say Jane runs marketing for a startup. Here’s how her day looks:

• 1 Big Task: Finalize the Q2 investor deck
• 3 Mediums: Write a blog post draft, schedule a campaign, review last month’s analytics
• 5 Smalls: Email client feedback, check form responses, update calendar, ping dev team, book a doctor’s appointment

Using TaskSite, Jane attaches the investor deck task to her Pitch.com account. Her blog task? Linked to Notion. The team ping? Tagged to Slack.

Her browser becomes her productivity hub—without switching tabs or digging through notes.

Tips to Master the 1-3-5 Rule

• 🎯 Break Down Big Tasks: “Launch website” is not a task—it’s a project. Break it down.
• 🧩 Stay Flexible: Some days are 1-2-3, others 1-0-2. That’s okay.
• 🛑 Build Buffers: Life interrupts. If emergencies come up, adjust tomorrow.
• 🧠 Use Tags or Visuals: Color-code your 1-3-5 list in your task manager.
• 🌐 Go Context-Aware: Use TaskSite to keep tasks pinned to your workspaces.

Try the 1-3-5 Rule Tomorrow

One rule. Nine tasks. A calmer brain.

📌 Try it tomorrow morning. You might be surprised how much more you get done—and how much lighter you feel.