Prioritize What Actually Matters

“You can do anything, but not everything.” – David Allen

When everything feels important, nothing truly is. You’ve had days where you felt incredibly busy, knocked out a dozen tasks, replied to every email, and still didn’t touch that one thing that could’ve made a real impact.

That’s not just a productivity problem — it’s a prioritization problem.

Most of us aren’t lacking time. We’re lacking clarity on what deserves our attention most.

The good news: there are dozens of prioritization frameworks. The bad news? You don’t need all of them — just one that works for you.

Today, we’ll introduce three simple, science-informed systems. Try just one this week and see what changes.

Framework 1: The Eisenhower Matrix

Best for: Sorting out the urgent from the truly important.

This method, popularized by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, helps you classify tasks based on urgency and importance — two very different things.

Why it works: We’re often reactive — jumping into tasks because they’re time-sensitive, not because they’re valuable. This matrix helps you break that cycle.

Try it when: You have a long list and need to quickly triage what to do: defer, delegate, or delete.

Framework 2: The 1–3–5 Rule

Best for: Structuring your day around real energy and focus.

The idea is simple: In a typical day, you have capacity for:

• 1 big task (deep focus, strategic value),
• 3 medium tasks (meetings, prep work, short deliverables),
• 5 small tasks (emails, updates, admin, quick wins).

Why it works: It forces you to be realistic. Most to-do lists are wishful thinking — this method builds in constraints to help you focus on what matters most.

Try it when: You feel overwhelmed by an endless to-do list and need a clean, achievable plan.

Framework 3: Buffett’s 25/5 Rule

Best for: Clarifying long-term focus.

This method comes from a story about Warren Buffett advising his pilot:

• Write down your top 25 goals.
• Circle the top 5 that matter most.
• Avoid everything else until those 5 are done.

Why it works: It forces you to make tough choices. It’s easy to get distracted by interesting or “pretty important” tasks — but real progress comes from focusing on the most critical ones.
Try it when: You’re juggling too many projects or goals and don’t know what to cut.

Action Step: Try 1–3–5 Today

Use the 1–3–5 method to plan your next workday. Here’s a simple way to format it:

Need help? Download our 1–3–5 Planner Template or try mapping your priorities directly in actiTIME.

Want more options?

These three frameworks are a great starting point — but they’re not the only ones. If you want to explore more prioritization methods like MoSCoW, RICE, ABCDE, and others, check out our full guide — How to Prioritize: 10 Proven Frameworks.

Bonus Tip: Match Priorities to Your Energy

• Don’t schedule your most important work for the middle of your slump.
• Identify your peak focus time, and block it off for the big stuff.