Welcome to One Thing Better. Each week, the editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine (that’s me) shares one way to be happier and more effective at work — and build a career or company you love.
Today’s edition is sponsored by Kick, my favorite bookkeeping software (for real!). See details at the end of the newsletter.
You have too much to do.
Too many tasks, too many deadlines, too many things to track. Every day feels like a scramble and a failure.
I have the same problem — and today, I’ll share a simple solution that’s helped me.
It’s called a list funnel, and it’s something I learned it from Google’s in-house productivity expert.
The list funnel helps you get things done and reduces your stress.
Today I’ll share how it works — but first, let’s talk about why our current solutions don’t.
Why our lists fail us
Everyone has a to-do list. Those things suck.
Maybe you can relate: My list is a mess. Some items require a lot of work. Some, a little. Some must be done now. Some, next week.
As a result, I’m constantly adding little things — which distract me from the major things! Then I feel anxious because my list keeps growing.
So what’s the solution? Stop making one list — and make a series of lists.
This is the list funnel. I got the idea from Laura Mae Martin, who helps Google executives get organized — that’s literally her job! She wrote a book about productivity that I loved.
Ready to make a list you’ll actually use? Let’s do it…
The list funnel basics
Before I share this, let me say: The next things you see will look overwhelming. You will think, as I did: “That’s a great idea that I’ll never do.”
But STAY WITH ME! Two things to know:
- You do not have to it all. You can just pick the parts that are most helpful.
- I learned about this, sat on it for six months, and only then took action — and I’ll explain how I overcame my reluctance.
OK, here we go.
The list funnel consists of three lists. In Laura’s book, she diagrams them like this:
She offers templates for all this on her site, but I’ll break down the basics here:
Step 1: Make the main list.
This is the full kitchen sink. Everything you need to do, or aspire to do, broken up into categories. Her template looks like this:
Of course, you can make your own categories, based on your own life. The idea is to just separate your tasks out, so that they’re coherent and easy to see.
Step 2: Make the weekly list.
This is everything you need to accomplish this week. Again, she has a template. And here it is:
A reminder of what I said above: You do not need to do all of this.
For example, this template is too complex for me. I don’t need daily themes or habit trackers. But I love how she prioritizes three big items at the top, and then creates space for other stuff underneath.
And finally…
Step 3: Make the daily list.
Every day, a new list. Here’s her template:
Again, this isn’t exactly my speed. It’s too complex, and I am not a “today I’m grateful for” kind of guy.
But the daily list has been a game-changer for me — because it’s now how I define success.
In the past, I spent my day scrambling to accomplish things Whack-A-Mole style. By the end, I felt no sense of progress — like chipping away at a mountain.
Now I start my day with a simple daily list. I identify my biggest priorities and systematically check them off. After a block of meetings, I can look at the list and refocus — like, oh yes, that’s what’s left.
If I finish my list, my day feels like a success. I’m no longer as concerned about the other stuff waiting for me — because I know they’re for tomorrow, not today.
Now let’s talk about actually doing this.
To adopt a list funnel, you must change your behavior. That’s not easy — so take a tip from Notion cofounder + CEO Ivan Zhao.
I recently talked with Ivan for a cover story in Entrepreneur. His company has 100 million users — which meant 100 million people stopping using one product and started using his. As a result, he’s thought a lot about what changes people’s behavior.
Here’s his philosophy:
“Vitamins don’t change user behavior,” he told me. “Painkillers do.”
Most things are vitamins. They’re good for us, sure, but we don’t change behavior just because something is good for us. We’re only incentivized to change when we’re in pain. That’s when we can see the immediate impact of a solution.
Ever since I heard that, I’ve been applying it everywhere — including myself.
For example:
I learned about the list funnel in April, when I interviewed Laura Mae Martin. But I did not take her advice for six months. It just sounded like too much work.
So, what forced me to change? The answer is pain.
Back in April, the list funnel sounded like a great idea. But I didn’t feel like I needed it. It was a vitamin!
Then I took on some new projects and felt very overwhelmed. My old systems were breaking, and I was in pain. Then I remembered Laura’s list funnels, and I decided to start by making a daily list. But I did it my way, like this:
That’s a daily list from last week. As you’ll see, I’m not using Laura’s template. I just write my priorities at the beginning of the day, and then work through them. (Want to read that Q&A with Chip & Joanna Gaines? It’s here.)
It’s worked well for me, so now I’m experimenting with the weekly lists.
This will work for you… when you need it!
Here’s my point: If you don’t use the list funnels today, that’s fine. You might not be ready.
Back in April, I wasn’t ready. I wasn’t in enough pain. But now I am.
Ideas like this take time. We can’t just change on a whim! We need to evaluate what we do, feel its shortcomings, and perhaps even suffer its consequences.
If you’ve read this far, it’s because you’re feeling overwhelmed by your day. You’re looking for some kind of solution. So ask yourself: Am I ready for a change?
If the answer is no, then that’s fine. Keep going. But please, continue to ask yourself that question. Am I ready for a change? If and when you say yes, now you have a place to start.
We don’t have to be stressed and overwhelmed. We can just get things done.
That’s how to do one thing better.
This bookkeeper saves me so much time!
A few years ago, I signed up for one of the major bookkeeping services. I hated it. So complex! Too many options!
Then I got introduced to Kick — and as soon as they walked me through the platform, I laughed out loud at how simple and easy it was.
True story: I begged them to NOT add more features! It’s so simple, it’s perfect. My books are done automatically and accurately in real-time, my account is optimized for tax savings, and when tax season rolls around, it’s 10x easier than before.
Are you a freelancer? Starting a business? Run multiple businesses? Whatever the case, try out Kick. It takes 5 minutes to set up your accountant, and you’ll be laughing out loud alongside me — knowing that you don’t need to go crazy over accounting anymore.
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