How To Stay Sane At Work

Ever feel like work is eating your brain? Too many tasks, too little focus. Here’s a simple system that pulls you out of chaos: the 3-List Method.

The Core Idea

Break your to-dos into 3 lists:

1. Today’s list – only 3 to 5 items max.
2. Tomorrow’s list – things coming up soon.
3. Future list – stuff you’ll get to… eventually.

Why It Works

• Cuts decision fatigue by limiting choices
• Keeps priorities visible and realistic
• Builds a sense of daily accomplishment
• Stops chaos from hijacking your headspace

Real-World Wins

• Tim Ferriss uses 3 core tasks per day to stay focused
• Warren Buffett calls it “the 5/25 rule”—pick your top 5, forget the rest
• Many teams at startups like Basecamp plan their week using a short “Today” list only